BURNHAM cannot continue to expand with more and more estates. That’s the view of the town’s new Conservative MP James Heappey.

He said: “I have said throughout my campaign that we must make sure that development in the area is at a sustainable pace. Demand for housing in Burnham is high and there is no escaping that there are many more job adverts locally than there are jobseekers. Nonetheless, we cannot simply build estate after estate in Burnham-on-Sea. All communities need to grow at a pace that local services and infrastructure can sustain.”

The MP was responding to the proposed plans for Sedgemoor by district council officials that are currently in consultation with the public and town and parish councils. In the plans Burnham and Berrow have been earmarked for potential growth with hundreds of new homes to be built. The officials admit in their documents that the development would change the town’s shopping centre and have an effect on local communities and infrastructure.

There was a suggestion in the proposals that Berrow may need a new relief road with the acknowledgement the current road between Berrow and Burnham is congested at peak times.

Mr Heapey added that he was confident that Hinkley C -one of the driving forces behind the growth in population in the area – would go ahead come what may. But he was concerned over the situation with Morrisons. He said: “As I understand it, Morrisons are in the middle of a consultation with their staff but their working assumption is that the store will close after Christmas. I welcome local efforts to encourage Morrisons to think again and hope they will listen.”