The public gave a sceptical response to Sedgemoor District Council’s plans for new homes in Wedmore last week with fears over house prices top of the agenda.

Council officer Nick Tait made the presentation in the parish rooms in the village indicating where there was potential for housing development.

These included coombe Batch off Axe Road, land at Holdenhurst, and north of Danes Lea, plus sites at Westholme Farm and Kelsons Farm off Plud Street.

The general consensus appeared be that of opposition to all but the most minor plans for new homes on the basis that there was not enough infrastructure to support an influx of possibly hundreds of new people. Once the presentation was over the general public were allowed to make their observations.

An architectural designer called Paul asked Mr Tait if it was common sense to select a site for 200 new homes on rising land that would overlook 28 dwellings resulting a reduction of 10 percent in their market value.

He said: “Is it common sense to allow water from 200 new homes to discharge into the village drainage system that in recent years had been unable to cope with increased rainfall. Is it common sense to include five sites that could bring 295 new dwellings increasing traffic congestion in the village as well as over burdening the doctors surgery.?”

Furthermore he said one of the sites had already been rejected for planning and another had no safe pedestrian access to the village.

Another point he raised was over the potential numbers of new children who would need school places which were not available at the moment.

In defence the Sedgemoor officer said they had consulted on all of the sites indicated in the consultation document on the basis that everyone could see the plans and make their comments. He said otherwise if they didn’t “put them out there” it allowed the public to give their views rather than discussing the potential sites behind closed doors.

He said there was no intention that all the sites would be developed and he stressed all the comments such as those on drainage and access would be “taken on board.”

Another resident was concerned about the numbers of homes planned in Sedgemoor with 568 homes being built each year and wanted to know how many dwellings would be built in Wedmore. Mr Tait replied: “That’s quite a question.” Resulting in laughter in what had become a tense atmosphere.

He explained that as a tier three settlement Wedmore would need to have some development but the challenge for the council was to find where it would be appropriates in consultation with the residents.

The councillors also pitched in with Cllr Pete Tinney saying he was concerned on behalf of his parishioners who wondered why they hadn’t had advanced warning of the plans. Another councillor said he felt the council was being “bounced” into making a reply with little time to consider the complex details.

Mr Tait the time scale was short – which was in part due to staff illness and a large workload for the council workers.

There was also a discussion amongst councillors over the merits of having a local plan which was revealed to still only be at the ideas stage. Mr Tait said the council would be in a better position with one once it had been drawn up and voted on.

What are your thoughts of the proposals from Sedgemoor? Email harry.mottram@nqsw.co.uk