A new development of 45 homes will be built opposite West Huntspill Primary School after revised plans were unanimously backed by local councillors.
Somerset Council’s planning committee north has voted to back new proposals from Edenstone Homes for the new homes at the corner of the A38 Main Road and New Road despite local concerns.
West Huntspill LVA LLP had previously won outline permission from Sedgemoor District Council in October 2021 to build the homes, however the legal agreements with the developer were not agreed until June 2023.
Edenstone acquired the site around this time and put forward revised proposals for the same number of homes in October 2023.
The site lies on the main road outside Highbridge, half a mile south of the Brue Farm housing development.
Access to the new homes would be via the A38, with a play areas and a car park for parents and school staff being delivered at the site’s northern edge.
Vivian Evans, who has lived in West Huntspill for most of her life and objected to the outline plans, raised concerns about the new proposals when the committee met in Bridgwater this month.
She said: “I am concerned about the risk of flooding, especially with the dramatic change in climate resulting in prolonged heavy deluges. We are unable to ascertain who has responsibility for the north rhyne, which hasn’t been cleared for decades. Who will be inspecting the site and monitoring the maintenance company? We would like the play area secured at sunset to prevent antisocial behaviour.”
The chairman of West Huntspill Parish Council, John Wakefield, called on the developers not to repeat the “mistakes” made at Barratt Homes and Bloor Homes South West at the Brue Farm site just up the road.
John added: “Mistakes were made, and I’m simply going to ask that they not be repeated with this development. There is a great deal of infill that has to happen on the site to raise the levels. This involves hundreds of lorries – which on the Brue Farm development were turning up at 7am. The developers ran roughshod over the planning regulations.”
“We don’t consider the tactile crossings proposed to be sufficient. A proper pelican crossing must be put in across the A38, as more than 90 per cent of the village lives on the other side of the road.”
Edenstone Homes is already working on delivering two developments elsewhere in Somerset including 40 homes on Old Bristol Road in East Brent.
Cllr Gill Slocombe (Bridgwater West) said: “I think this design is very nice – I’m really pleased it means national space standards. I live near where there’s development going on, and no matter what you tell them – with the greatest respect – they have their time restraints and they want to get on with it. I would like to add a condition that they cannot start work before 7am each day. I feel sad that there isn’t going to be a full pedestrian crossing.”
Ms Slocombe’s division includes two major housing developments which will deliver more than 1,000 new homes either side of the A39 – the Centenary Heights development of 675 new homes (which is currently under construction) and the Persimmon Home Severn Valley site, which has permission in place for 352 further properties.
Councillor Alastair Hendry (Highbridge and Burnham South) said: “I think what we’ve got in front of us now is very commendable. “It’s not perfect – I’m sure there are a few fault-lines in there, but not anything worth talking about.”
The committee voted unanimously to approve the amended plans after around 45 minutes’ debate. Construction could get under way before the end of 2024.
