THE gap between two Somerset towns will soon be “measured in millimetres” after plans for new homes were approved.
Beechcroft Land Ltd. originally applied to build 39 new homes at Carrotts Farm Shop on the A38 Bridgwater Road in North Petherton, near the town’s cemetery.
The plans were refused by Sedgemoor District Council in May 2020, prompting the developer to lodge an appeal to the Planning Inspectorate.
The council has now narrowly granted permission for the Oxfordshire-based developer to build 20 homes on the same site – just four weeks before an appeal hearing on the original refusal was due to be held.
The council’s development committee met virtually on Tuesday morning (March 30) to discuss the plans.
Local resident Richard Anthony warned that allowing the new homes would go against local public opinion and would lead to the town joining up with Bridgwater.
He said: “The democratically approved community plan is being ignored and approving this application mocks the need for such a plan.
“There are large developments at either end of the town, and this would open the floodgates for coalescing with Bridgwater.”
Linda Hyde, who sits on North Petherton Town Council, added: “With far-reaching views and being bordered to the north-west by the town cemetery and chapels, this is a much-loved asset to the community.
“It’s very difficult to see how this can possibly be considered a brownfield site.
“There’s no further need for housing locally – the required numbers are already being catered for within the pockets allocated in the Local Plan.
“There are other options for the future of this green site which would be of benefit to the community, including an extension to the cemetery or allotments.”
The committee voted to approve the plans by a margin of six votes to five, with two abstentions and one councillor unable to vote due to technical issues.
Following the decision, the Planning Inspectorate confirmed that the applicant had withdrawn its initial appeal – meaning the virtual hearing scheduled for April 27 will not take place.
Speaking after the meeting, Councillor Bill Revans – who represents North Petherton – said he was disappointed by the committee’s decision.
He said: “This area is coloured in green in the Local Plan as it is designated ‘countryside around settlement’ – but is here interpreted as a previously-developed ‘brown field’ site. It is difficult to see how it can be both.
“The ‘countryside around settlement’ policy in the Local Plan is there to prevent the ‘coalescence of adjacent settlements’.
“This will further erode the small remaining green spaces around the settlement of North Petherton; we will soon see continuous development from Bridgwater to North Petherton.
“Twenty years ago there was a mile of fields along both sides of the A38, from Rhyne Bridge to Old Road. Now the gap can be measured in millimetres.”
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