A recently formed organisation in Chilcompton determined to fight off over development in the village has organised a meeting with MP, James Heappey, early next month.

Chilcompton Against Rural Over-development (CARO) has already generated a social-distancing demonstration in which dozens of residents stood outside their houses with placards and banners to object to a possible influx of large housing developments.

Now they are going face-to-face with their local member of Parliament in order to generate more support.

Spokesman Rich Morgan said: “Just the fact that he is meeting with us surely shows that he has some empathy for our cause.

“It will be interesting to see what he has to say and it will be interesting to see what real backing he can give us.

“Several years ago, we fought off many of these developments with the aid of the then MP, Tessa Munt – the same kind of support would be appreciated.

“When he comes into the village he will see the scores of posters along the streets, he’s got to be impressed by how strongly Chilcompton feels about this.”

With five major housing developments being pushed through, the villagers of Chilcompton are saying ‘Enough is Enough’.

Every house in the village was leafleted to raise awareness about how these developments, totalling 77 new houses, will affect the appearance and sustainability of the community.

Rich said: “We don’t need these developments, we don’t want these developments. Several of them we have fought in the past and won. We can do it again. We are a village and we want it to stay that way.”

Some of the applications are currently being decided by Mendip District Council, others are being reviewed by the national Planning Inspector. Three of the applications have already been rejected by the Inspector several years ago, but have now come back.

Rich said: “Over the years, Chilcompton has more than satisfied its quota for new houses. The school is full, the surgery is full, flooding is a constant threat and the narrow lanes are overstretched and dangerous. This is not NIMBYism, this is sustainability.”

The proposed housing developments are 32 houses in a field near White Hayes (The Street), an application for seven houses above Somer Lea, twelve houses in a field by The Grange (Parsonage Lane), a total of seventeen houses on

Sestri paddock requiring road access onto Broadway and sixteen new large

properties on agricultural land at Abbey Road/Rock Road (Downside field). In addition, there is a large garage block under national review.

Find out about planning applications that affect you by visiting the Public Notice Portal.

Malcolm Rigby