Campaigners who successfully saw off a housing application for 160 homes in Writhlington village in 2019 met with WECA Metro Mayor, Dan Norris last week, after the developer returned with an even larger plan.

Writhlington Action Group and B&NES Ward Councillor for Radstock, Labour’s Chris Dando, invited the Metro Mayor to view the site of productive arable farmland, which also reaches across the border in to Mendip. They will also be meeting with MP, Jacob Rees-Mogg, at his surgery to express their concern.

Gladman Developments Ltd., based in Cheshire and acting on behalf of the Ammerdown Estate, have returned with a new plan for 255 homes.

Now villagers say they must campaign to save the farmland for future generations. The plans were submitted at the beginning of October and the public consultation closes on 25th November with a decision expected in mid-January.

So far, campaigners have delivered around a thousand leaflets to local residents and held a meeting last Sunday at Writhlington Village Hall to discuss the plans. At the time of writing, there had already been nearly forty objections logged on the B&NES Planning portal.

Speaking at the site meeting last Thursday, WECA Mayor, Dan Norris, told The Journal: “The key thing here is transport – this is not the obvious place to put housing, as it is not clear where local employment really is – it is further afield, rather than local, and that creates obvious concerns.

“I can’t see how this ties in with local employment plans and it raises more questions than answers.

“I am also very keen to make food miles as short as possible, so it is very important that land can be used for food production wherever possible.”

It is thought that the 10-hectare site has been farmed for over 200 years and the previous plans saw as many objections.

Radstock’s Labour Ward Councillor, Chris Dando added: “This development could cause huge pressure on local services and schools – with poor transport links for people to access these facilities. Cycling from here just isn’t an option, unless you are super fit, and walking is difficult; just imagine trying to push a pram all the way to Radstock and back.

“This is not a sustainable development and there are better places. We do not need any more dormitory towns and this will be one – no doubt about it.

“We should be building on brownfield. Yes, it costs more. But the value of redeveloping these sites is immeasurable. The pandemic has taught us that we need green space – we need space and time to recharge.”

Writhlington Action Group presented the WECA Mayor with their reasons for opposing the development, which include affordable housing being ‘unaffordable’ – calculating the cheapest property to be at £219,479 based on the developer’s figures.

Traffic congestion is a key concern, particularly around school drop-off and pick-up times, with Writhlington, Mendip and St Mary’s Schools all in close proximity. Safety concerns have been raised for some time around the single track lanes that surround the village, often used as rat runs to avoid traffic in Radstock.

Public transport is limited and campaigners argue that new residents would be car-based, adding to environmental concerns and congestion. They add ‘the suggestion by the developer that the majority of cars will be electric by 2030, negating pollution, is completely unrealisitic in an area of high deprivation. People cannot afford to update their cars.’

WAG also express flooding as a concern and site problems at the most recent Orchid Way development in heavy rain. They say the two ‘potential play areas’ proposed, when there are already three in Writhlington, are not required and no other facilities are suggested that would benefit the village or surrounding area. They also use the Paulton Purnell site as an example, stating none of the community amenities planned have actually been delivered.

They say: ‘Writhlington Action Group recognises the need to build new housing for the area, but this has to be of the right type and in the right place. Several members of the group have volunteered to work with Radstock Town Council to create the long-awaited Neighbourhood Plan for Radstock, which includes the villages of Writhlington, Haydon and Clandown. The Neighbourhood Plan, which is community rather than developer led, will help structure the future of the area and identfy local needs and priorities.’

Gladman’s new outline plans say it wants to develop a “high quality, sustainable new neighbourhood” as a “logical extension” to Writhlington. 

Gladman said in its application: “The proposed scheme would make an important contribution to the identified housing need across Bath and North East Somerset and Mendip, support national and regional objectives of boosting the supply of homes through sustainable developments and ensure the delivery of affordable housing.

“As with any greenfield site, the development will introduce changes to the area and some urbanising effects and it will involve the loss of some agricultural land, however this is to be expected and … can be delivered with negligible long term, wider landscape and visual impacts. 

“The development of the site as proposed would be both suitable and sustainable. 

“It will help to deliver much needed new, quality, family homes, in a community where people wish to live, in a suitable and sustainable location close to existing public transport, shops, employment opportunities and community services.” 

Gladman’s previous plans were rejected because the site is outside the settlement boundary, the proposed access off Manor Road was substandard and it failed to demonstrate there would not be a severe impact on the road network. There were also concerns about bats and the land’s archaeological potential. 

Under the new £25 million proposals, the main access for vehicles will be a priority controlled junction from Frome Road, while Old Road will be realigned and will become a one-way eastbound road from the school drop-off zone to the site’s proposed spine street. 

There would also be an extension to the Manor Road allotments, a drop-off area for St Mary’s Primary School, six hectares of open space and four hectares of retained farmland. 

Up to 30 per cent of the new homes will be affordable, a total of 76. 

B&NES Council will consider the application, reference 21/04509/OUT.