CONCERNS are being voiced about the potential impact if more new housing developments on the western outskirts of Wells are given the go ahead.
A Planning Inspector has decided that up to 50 homes can be built at New House Farm, Haybridge Hill, Wells, after Gleeson Land won an appeal against the decision by Somerset Council to refuse outline planning permission for the scheme.
Approval has already been granted by Somerset Council to an outline planning application for up to 100 homes on land south of Elm Close.
Another outline planning application has been submitted to the council for up to 47 homes next to that development, on land at Gypsy Lane.
And there is also an outline planning application that seeks permission for the building of up to 78 homes on land at Glencot Road, Wookey Hole.
The schemes are all in the St Cuthbert Out Parish Council district. The council is unhappy at the outcome of the planning appeal, and has objected to the two undecided planning applications.
It is being supported in its opposition to those applications by Wells City Council, with city councillors agreeing at a meeting of the Planning & Environment Committee to send two letters to the Somerset East Planning Committee setting out their reasons for opposing them.
A Planning Inspector allowed the appeal on the application for up to 50 homes at New House Farm after a two-day hearing at Shepton Mallet in August.
Somerset Council had refused the application on a number of grounds in 2023. Plans for up to 68 homes on the same site had also been refused in December 2020.
In its reasons for the refusal of the application last year, the council said: “The proposed development would result in substantial harm to the distinctiveness and identity of Wells, Haybridge and Elm Close, due to the coalescence of the three settlements, that would arise due to the location of the proposed development.”
But the Inspector found that the proposal would not intrude on the gap between the western edge of Wells and Haybridge, and would not be harmful to the character or identity of Haybridge or Elm Close.
He also said that he did not consider that the proposal would harm the experience of those visiting the Wells Touring Park, despite the concerns of the owner.
Marcel Hayden, the Chairman of St Cuthbert Out Parish Council’s Planning Committee, said: “We are very disappointed that this application was granted at the appeal as it erodes the green gap between Wells and Haybridge. In addition again no consideration was given as they put additional pressure on services which are already overstretched.
“We are concerned that other future developments will further destroy the surrounding area and result in villages around Wells losing their identity. Currently two additional applications for outline planning permission are being sought and both St Cuthbert Out Parish Council and Wells City Council have expressed their concern and wish Somerset Planning to refuse these as they are not deemed suitable for these sites.”
Members of the city council’s Planning & Environment Committee agreed the text of a letter opposing the outline application for up to 78 homes, and the text of a letter opposing the outline application for up 47 homes, at their meeting on September 19.
The letters are similar in content, with reasons given for objecting including the adverse impact on the character and landscape of the area; an increase in traffic on the existing inadequate road network; a negative impact on biodiversity; a risk of flooding; erosion of the green space between Haybridge, Wells and Wookey Hole; a lack of funding support for infrastructure and its resulting impact on transport and parking in Wells; and insufficient schools and GP services to support the ever-increasing development on the borders of Wells City.
Hundreds of new homes have been built in the St Cuthbert Out parish in recent years on the western side of Wells.
• Picture: The site at New House Farm where up to 50 homes can now be built