Following last week’s well attended public exhibition showcasing plans for a new development on land near White Post, which could see up to 188 new homes built and a purpose-built primary school for Norton Hill, residents in Silver Street, Midsomer Norton, have begun a campaign for money from the potential development to be invested into making the busy main road safer and promoting better connectivity to the town’s High Street.

With the inclusion of the school plans, there seems to be a general air of acceptance over the pending application, but Midsomer Norton is keen to make sure it receives its fair share, rather than Mendip, whose boundary it falls under, with the full implication of yet another large housing development on the neighbouring boundary and the pressures this could place on services and local roads in B&NES.

If approved by Mendip District Council, the new estate, which will have a very similar size development in the field next door, by the same developer, agreed by B&NES, could see mass house building in this area. There is also thought to be a large planning application expected across the road from this site, too.

Because the applications at Charlton Park and White Post are by the same developer, there will be a connectivity between the two estates, which means children will be able to walk through them as the primary and secondary schools share resources, at the same time keeping pupils away from the busy Fosse Way, which could potentially use as part of the development, should it be passed. Residents in this area may also be heartened to hear that there are better bus links planned here, too.

Back at Silver Street, residents say the narrowness of the road, speeding drivers, large vehicles and in places, the lack of a pavement, means the simple walk into town involves people taking their lives into their hands. This is not a new issue, having been raised at the local PACT meetings as far back as 2009.

Robert Wilcox, representing the residents of Silver Street, said: “As part of a number

of initiatives, Community Speedwatch has been operating at several sites in Silver Street for almost four years, backed up in the past year by enforcement by the police.

Despite this, cars still regularly come hurtling in and out of Midsomer Norton, some doing in excess of 50 mph and lorries and buses have repeatedly hit the 30 mph signs, not only bending them, but ripping them out of the ground.

“It can only be a matter of time before there is a serious accident – and already there are regular vehicle collisions and near misses with pedestrians and cyclists.”

Campaigners understand that the proposed houses and new school would be accessible from Silver Street, which would be the shortest route from the new school to Midsomer Norton and the existing secondary school.

“While the lower part of Silver Street was substantially widened in the 1980s and in recent years, a crossing was put in lower down. The top section, although one of the main routes to and from the town, is still more or less a country lane,” says Michael Rich, Police Volunteer Community Speedwatch Administrator for the B&NES area. “Clearly, any development of a school and more houses in Mendip is only going to add to this problem. Anyone who lives locally will tell you that Charlton Road at the start and end of school days is largely gridlocked already, and so vehicles will inevitably prefer either to access the school via Silver Street or to go on via the White Post and down the Fosse Way.

“Silver Street is far and away our worst speeding black spot in the whole of Midsomer Norton and up to now, deterrents have had only limited success; however, more permanent traffic calming measures would be very expensive and far from immediate.”

Speaking about last week’s exhibition, Simon Steele-Perkins, Director of the site developers, Waddeton Park Ltd, said he was pleased with the level of interest shown in the proposals. “Of course some local people, especially those who live very close to the site, had some questions about the detail of the plans, but as a result of the extensive technical work we have done to support the proposals, I am pleased to say we could answer most people’s questions and allay their concerns. Equally, we have taken on board all the comments we have received and will ensure that the plans do respond to these wherever possible.”

Mark Thompson, the Project Manager for the new primary school said he was delighted with the interest shown. “It is only really now, when we have this perfect site, that you can really feel the project is about to produce a real school for local children. It was so positive to meet a number of local parents and feel their support. It gives us the motivation to keep working to get the school ready and open for their children as soon as possible.”

Details on the development, with the opportunity to comment, can be found at: www.landatwhitepost.co.uk