STOP WEST WINCANTON

LOCAL PLAN REQUIREMENT

The current Adopted South Somerset Local Plan (2006 - 2028) gave a total housing requirement for Wincanton of 703 new houses.

The latest Annual Monitoring Report (AMR) shows that the total completions in Wincanton was 738, as of 31st March 2022. The annualised target to that same point was 511, therefore, Wincanton is ahead of plan by 227 houses with nearly five years of the plan still to run.

By contrast, Yeovil, which is the most sustainable settlement on South Somerset, is a massive -2087 behind target at the same point in the plan.

CLICK TO ENLARGE TABLE

There were an additional 124 commitments to build at 31st March 2022.

The sites are: Verrington Hospital 31, Land below Bayford Hill 34, Land adjacent to Crocker Way 80.

There will also be 74 individuals at the new care home.

These commitments will add a further 407 people.

If the plan to build on Hook Valley Farm is approved, the combined increase in the population of Wincanton would be a massive 29% or 1,907 people above the last census figure.

WINCANTON POPULATION GROWTH

2001 CENSUS = 4803

+13%

2011 CENSUS = 5435

+21%

2021 CENSUS = 6568

NB: Yeovil only grew by 9% between 2011 and 2021.

Every large scale proposal for housing development in the UK comes with the claim that the increase in the population will bring great benefits to a community, however, in most cases, the opposite is true.

The years of overdevelopment in Wincanton have not provided the developers promised improvements in services or the high street, the oposite has been the case with an increase in empty shops and derelict buildings.

We do not have an NHS dentist.

Our pharmacy is no longer on the high street and only open 5 days a week.

The relocated Doctors Surgery is already overloaded due to the increased population.

Wincanton has become a dormitory town and this planning application for another 650 houses on a working farm will only exacerbate the problems.

Despite their assurances, it is not within the power of a land proposer or developer to promise improvements in local education or roads, even if they are required to make a financial contribution. Somerset Council has declared a 'financial emergency', so we are not awash with money for infrastructure improvements.

What is approved at the initial Outline Planning Application is often changed by the developer at the Reserved Matters stage. For example, two current developments in Wincanton have been revised so that the developer will no longer have to build affordable houses.

DIRECTION OF GROWTH

THE SSDC Peripheral Landscape Study Report in 2008 suggested four possible areas that had scope for landscape sympathetic growth. (see map below)

The report came to the following conclusion:

'Arising from this study, it is clear that the main growth potential lays to the south of the town, within Wincanton's prime 'head of vale' setting, and avoids land of high landscape sensitivity. Such locations will thus enable a potential for development that is planned to avoid an adverse impact upon the town"s immediate setting, and the wider landscape context, consistent with the objectives of this study.'

SSDC Local Plan Review shows Preferred Options for development on the west side of Wincanton. Area WN1 was for housing and WN2 for an industrial area.

These areas are in agreement with Policy 1 of the Wincanton Neighbourhood Plan, which requires that new development should avoid areas to the south west of town, most notably, the higher ground west of New Barns Farm and Lawrence Hill, where development would be particularly prominent on the skyline.

This led to the appproval of a planning application to build 80 houses adjacent to the New Barns Farm estate, plus an extension of the industrial area. Access will be from the Lawrence Hill roundabout, adjacent to the concrete works.