Town councillors have this week warned that plans to build a new home next to a bend on a busy Burnham-On-Sea road are an ‘accident waiting to happen’.
Applicant Kenneth Rogers has applied for planning permission to build a four-bedroom property with a garage and a new driveway at 25 Rectory Road.
The proposed access road would come out on the approach to the bend in Stoddens Road, pictured above, which is a well-known accident blackspot where there have been many accidents over the years.
The plans were considered at a meeting of Burnham and Highbridge Town Council’s Planning Applications Committee on Tuesday (August 21st) where councillors unanimously objected against the scheme.
Cllr Nick Tolley told the meeting: “Looking at this plan common sense has gone out the window. Access at the corner of Rectory Road and Stoddens Road is an accident waiting to happen.”
Councillor Peter Clayton, pictured in the road, said he too has a number of concerns, having previously led a project to improve road safety on the Stoddens Road bend.
“I strongly object – this application would negate all the hard-work we have done on working to improve the road over the last few years,” he said.
“There have been 20 accidents recorded on the road and it is totally out of character with other properties in the area.”
Cllr Louise Parkin said the junction is a well-known “accident blackspot” and added: “It is an overdevelopment, the houses in Rectory Road are huge and I don’t think you can diminish that. It would set a dangerous precedent to give approval here – in no time many other properties could want to do the same.”
Cllr Andy Brewer said that highway safety is a worry with the scheme and he said that many other local residents have submitted letters of concern to Sedgemoor District Council.
Debbie Smith, who spoke on behalf of her parents who live nearby, said the couple “strongly object” to plans as they say it would be an ‘overdevelopment’ of the site and would affect their privacy.
“The design and quality of the new development is very poor and bland in comparison to other properties on Rectory Road. It is an overdevelopment of the site. It would overshadow our garden, it would exacerbate parking problems on Rectory Road.”
Councillors voted against the plan, but the final decisions rests with Sedgemoor District Council. The application is reference number 11/18/086 and comments are welcome by the council until September 9th.
