A massive 236 objections received for plans to build on arable farmland at Writhlington may have gone some way to seeing off a planning application for 160 new homes – with B&NES Council refusing the application last Thursday.

The application was refused on five main points: that it was outside of the Housing Development Boundary for Radstock and Writhlington, and was scathing about both the road safety and bat surveys that had been carried out. The road safety assessment took place during August, when both of the schools would have been empty; with the bat survey not recorded frequently or for long enough periods of time.

Officers labelled road safety and access arrangements ‘substandard’ and detrimental, and that the application failed to demonstrate that the proposed development would not result in a severe impact on the local road network.

Interestingly, the site is thought to have quite high archaeological interest, with preliminary investigations identifying the potential for Iron Age and Roman archaeology.

Steeling itself against any argument that it does not comply with the Development Plan, B&NES Council says it can demonstrate not only a five year housing land supply, but that it goes above and beyond at 7.38 years. Results published by the Government in February this year demonstrated that the Council has delivered 287% of its requirement, which is currently 3,547 units from April 2018 until March 2023, but has identified a supply of deliverable housing land for 5,490 homes during that period.

Writhlington residents, who packed the village hall on a number of occasions and organised the highly efficient Writhlington Action Group, will be jumping for joy at the news, but also preparing itself in readiness, should the applicant appeal the decision.