THE first phase of a major housing development at Brue Farm is a step closer to fruition after the town council gave its support to the project.

Councillors from Burnham and Highbridge Town Council’s planning committee discussed plans to build 74 homes and a foul water pumping station on the site on Huntspill Road, in Highbridge, at a meeting on July 30.

The reserved matters planning application is the first phase in Hallam Land Management’s plan to build 550 homes, a primary school, a nursery and associated highways on the site, which has lain derelict for a number of years.

In a short debate attended by four of the council’s six committee members, councillors said they were pleased to see a variety of homes were being proposed for the site and think the development will be good for the community.

The council says it has debated the plans at length on a number of occasions over the last few years and committee members spent a considerable amount of time looking into the plans before the meeting.

Councillor Andy Brewer said: “There are a lot of different types of houses on this application, there are some two bedroom, three and four bedroom houses as well as some flats proposed for the site.

“It is not all just flats, I think that is a positive thing we have got here.”

The application is the first submitted since the developer secured outline planning permission for 550 homes on the site in 2013.

But Cllr Brewer said he was ‘disappointed’ the developer had not put solar panels on any of the homes proposed.

“Sedgemoor District Council do have a policy to encourage renewable energy on developments,” Cllr Brewer said.

“I am pretty sure that Sedgemoor District Council will put significant conditions on the development if it is approved.”

Councillor Brewer said the developers also need to ensure that the site has good drainage as it can be prone to flooding.

“The developer needs to make sure drainage is done properly as there have been cases where it has not been done properly,” Cllr Brewer said.

“It needs to be done properly to ensure people are not affected.”

Councillor Peter Clayton also expressed concerns about access on the site and said he has fears people may find it hard to access their homes if building work takes place.

Despite their concerns councillors unanimously voted to support the plans but the final decision rests with Sedgemoor District Council.