Controversial plans to build 53 homes in Burnham-On-Sea have been recommended for approval by Sedgemooor’s planning case officer – much to the concern of nearby residents.
Residents living in the Lawrence Close area of Burnham have been left reeling by the news that Persimmon Homes’ plans to create a huge new housing development on a former landfill site to the north of Wallace Wells Road may get the go-ahead at Sedgemoor District Council’s Development Control Committee meeting next week.
Burnham-On-Sea.com first reported in March that the developer had submitted a new proposal to Sedgemoor District Council to build the homes, despite plans for 69 homes at the same site being refused last August.
Despite 40 complaints from residents and an objection from the Town Council, case oficer Rob Morgan states: “The proposal involves the development on a site which has been allocated for residential development since 1990 and is shown as committed for residential development in the Sedgemoor District Local Plan. The proposal is accompanied by a range of planning gains including cycleway links, public safety works and financial contributions towards public open space.”
The campaign against the development has been led by residents Trevor Berry, Bryn Heaton, Nigel Kemp and Melvyn Fooks (pictured at the top of this page).
Trevor told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “There is a great deal of concern about traffic issues, the out-of-keeping nature of the proposed homes, over-development and the potential for flooding.”
“While this new scheme includes fewer homes than last year’s proposals, the amount of space being swallowed up by the development is the same.”
The new proposals cover 14 two-bedroom, 36 three-bedroom and three four-bedroom houses, in addition to almost 100 car parking spaces.
Pictured are residents at a recent protest meeting held in Highbridge earlier this year
