Huge traffic increase fears for Somerset village as homes approved

Traffic passing through a small Somerset village could increase by 50 per cent after a second major housing development was approved. Barratt David Wilson Homes was finally given the go-ahead in August, after a six-year legal battle, to begin work on 130 new homes at the Townsend Landings site on Woodhayes Way in Henstridge.

Macra Ltd. applied in July 2023 for permission to build an additional 52 homes on Townsend Farm, located off the A357 Stalbridge Road a short distance from the Barratt site. Somerset Council has now narrowly voted in favour of this second development, despite fears that it will create major traffic issues and put local schoolchildren at risk.

The proposed development lies behind Townsend Farm on the eastern side of the main road, before it narrows to a passing point near Townsend Cottage. Access will be from Stalbridge Road, with two pedestrian access points being provided onto Southmead Road and The Mead.

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Macra - which is based in Chandler's Ford in Hampshire - will provide 140 car parking spaces within the new development, which will include 12 affordable rent and six social rent properties. Paul Dimishky, a member of the A357 Group, was among the local residents who spoke against the plans when the council's planning committee south met in Yeovil on Tuesday (November 26).

He said: "This new development is expected to be at the south side of Henstridge when all our facilities are located to the north - including the pub, the post office and the school. More development on the south side of the village simply increases the risk of a serious accident.

"There is no parking outside of the school - at peak hours, there will be gridlock. Church Street is not a viable safe route - it is narrow and has blind corners. Increased road traffic may turn this route into a rat run."

Numerous improvements to the A357 were agreed as part of a ruling by the Planning Inspectorate regarding the Townsend Landings site in late-2018 - with the developer and council failing to see eye to eye for years over which elements could be implemented successfully.

HGV and coach driver Keith Waterhouse, who has lived in Henstridge for 22 years, said: "Future residents will park their cars in Southmead Lane, which has hedgerows that aren't cut - meaning fire engines and so forth can't get through. There is very little work and the school is already fully committed. Large vehicles already struggle to get in and out of the village."

Veronica Smith, who chairs Henstridge Parish Council, added: "With both development sites, you will get a traffic increase of approximately 50 per cent.

"Is this not to be considered a significant impact? Pedestrian safety is of the utmost importance."

Both of the Blackmoor Vale division members also spoke against the proposals, arguing that it was unfair to expect small rural villages to take on extra homes because other sites in larger settlements had not come forward. Liberal Democrat councillor Nicola Clark said: "Here we are again: discussing another major application in a rural settlement which doesn't have the infrastructure to support it.

"I'm already working with the school to try and get safer roads, but this development will make things so much worse for parents and children. The five-year housing land supply issue should not be used to approve housing in areas where it is unsustainable."

Conservative councillor Hayward Burt - in one of his first public actions since winning a recent by-election - concurred: "Anyone who has walking along the High Street knows you are mixing with cars and large vehicles - and the numbers are growing. The number of large vehicles on these roads has grown by 40 per cent since 2016.

"There was flooding along Stalbridge Road just recently. I haven't seen anything in these plans which adequately address this issue."

Councillor Tom Power (Wincanton and Bruton) shared these sentiments, stating: "We are here to represent the safety of our residents. I think the only time the council will take this into consideration is when there's a dead body in the road."

Councillor Oliver Patrick (Coker) took a different view, arguing that the developer could easily overturn a refusal at an appeal, resulting in a costly legal bill for the council. He said: "If we refuse this, it will go to appeal and we'd lose.

"It's only 52 houses, it's not more than 1,000." The committee narrowly voted to approve the plans by five votes to four, with one abstention.