AMY Cole’s very thorough report on the planning system which controls the massive housing growth in Taunton Deane shows just how rotten the current system is.

The Government’s “assumption in favour of approval” gives developers the whip hand. 

They are allowed to go back on agreements to provide affordable housing (Comeytrowe and Staplegrove), secure planning approval for a site then do nothing for years (Comeytrowe), which means that families are denied the houses they need, house prices escalate (including developer profits). 

Meanwhile, developers claim that the council is failing to reach housing targets and have a go at building on unsuitable sites outside the local plan. 

Time and again councillors on the planning committee are blackmailed into granting approvals against the strong protests of residents just because they are advised that the council would lose an appeal.

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All of this makes a nonsense of the idea that local councils really control the planning process in the best interests of residents and families who need local housing.

Why is it allowed to continue? Could it be because the developers are so hard up that they can’t afford to provide roads and flood relief or a fair level of affordable housing?

Well, no! Last year, the chief executive of the major developer Persimmons (who build in Taunton Deane) was awarded a bonus of £110 million and 150 senior staff shared a trough of £500 million – a mere £3.3 million each!

Major developers have poured millions into Tory party funds.

They have a system that gives them almost total control of what gets built where, plus huge subsidies from the taxpayer from the ‘Help to Buy’ scheme, a well-intentioned idea which in turn leads to house inflation, keeping prices beyond the reach of first-time buyers.

All of this does not let Taunton Deane Borough Council or County Highways off the hook.

Over the years, TDBC has instigated massive housing expansion with little regard for infrastructure – roads, schools, flood prevention etc - and pathetically little co-ordination with Somerset County Council (SCC).

The county’s ‘20-Year Transport Plan for Taunton’ does absolutely nothing to address the major traffic problems caused by the new housing developments, which are likely to bring gridlock to Taunton in the years ahead.

We can debate who is most at fault for these impending disaster – the Government, TDBC or SCC.

But they have one thing in common – all are run by the Conservative party. 

CLLR ALAN WEDDERKOPP
Liberal Democrat for Comeytrowe and Trull on Somerset County Council