Blueprint For Homes Comes Under Attack

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Angry Wincanton residents claimed plans to build 350 new homes would damage the town at a council meeting this week. Town Councillors invited public questions on Monday to discuss South Somerset District Council's core strategy proposals.

Despite a public consultation period existing since October, residents claimed they had not been given enough time to consider the document. A leaflet outlining the strategy failed to reach all households as planned because of a delivery mix up.

Dave Stone, 54, a resident for 35 years, said: "I have heard more about the core strategy from people while I have been walking my dog than from the district council. They said they would distribute leaflets but I have not received one.

"We need to get the town buzzing again and we can only do that by attracting new businesses, not by building houses."

The strategy plans to increase employment land by 1.5 hectares and build 1,053 homes by 2026, increasing the population by about 2,000. It states 703 homes have already been allocated, including completed sites, those under construction or with planning permission.

Dr. Susan Tindall is worried her 400-year-old listed building in Verrington is in the middle of proposed development land.

"I have looked at the plans and they go right through my house," she said. "There has also been serious flash flooding in that area. A bridge was washed away two years ago and we were knee deep in water in places where they want to build houses.

"The amount they plan to build will destroy the Verrington valley and be a blot on  the landscape."

Town Councillor Colin Winder said: "Unless we get employment in the town to justify building the new houses the town centre will deteriorate. There is no way we can go on building homes unless we can provide jobs. We have to make this a sustainable town and it is not one if 65% of the town travel to other areas to work.

"We have grave concerns about the need for the extra 350 houses planned."

A spokesman for the district council said: "We booked a contract with Royal Mail to deliver to 100% of postcodes within the district, between September and October so all homes should have received the leaflet. We are not aware that a large number of homes were missed.

"We are working on an Infrastructure Delivery Plan which will consider in more detail what infrastructure and road improvements may be needed to accompany new development."

Town clerk Sam Skirton will be posting the council's official response to the strategy on its website and notice board outside the town hall by 3rd December.

Article first published in the Western Gazette

Comments

johnsmith
Posts: 2

Blue Prints for Homes
Reply #1 on : Tue November 30, 2010, 18:49:09

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If ever there was an issue to cause division in any town, large or small, it has to be housing. Emotions always run high between supporters of "Build more houses", "Bring in new business", and "Don't destroy our town". All are valid points in their own right and I can associate with all three positions.

I applaud the passion of those who are willing to stand up and be counted. As chairman of WBT I would love to see more and more businesses on our town trading estates, but this doesn't happen on demand. This involves us all working together for the betterment of all.

Businesses come from two main sources. From other areas because we have a better package to offer, or brand new businesses that start up here and grow. That is the route I would like to see flourish. I think of Rochford Garden Machinery as a classic example. I believe that this business started in a back garden and is now one of the biggest of it's type in the UK, or even Europe.

We need to encourage the people of our town to think about starting their own business. A thriving business community contributes finance to our town. But that might mean building more houses to attract people from other areas, and accepting that most of those people will work in other towns. At least their salaries wil be partly spent in our town.

So whilst it is good to have very clear and sharp belief that our answer is the right one, in this case we need a very fluid combination of all sides. Building houses doesn't guarantee new businesses. Building new business premises doesn't guarantee new businesses.

A combination of both, and a healthy proactive Council Structure and Business Association working together for the benefit of this town goes a long way to getting us on the right track.

This issue is vitally important for our town. Let's all keep focussed and work together for the best end result. The worst result is brought about by division. Tis can only lead to stagnation.

Help our town to flourish. A good healthy passion, honest debate and cooperation with all parties will bring the best result.

James Phillips
Posts: 1

Re: Blueprint For Homes Comes Under Attack
Reply #2 on : Tue November 30, 2010, 19:47:24

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I'm afraid the idea that wincanton needs new houses to improve and enliven itself is nonsense.

More houses will just continue to turn the town into an anonymous sprawling estate. The term 'it brings in more business' has sadly been used to justify many bad things. Whats the point of bringing business into wincanton if the process contributes to ruin the character of wincanton. Building more houses just makes the place bigger, it doesnt actually improve the lives of those who are already here. It is more stuff split between more people, so no one wins. Furthermore, it will stretch our schools to breaking point.

People come to this part of the world for beautiful landscapes with quiet and peaceful surroundings. Lets not ruin that for some empty words about 'business'.No one will ever come to wincanton and be impressed, pleased or in anyway happy about more houses and less greenery.

johnsmith
Posts: 2

Blue Print for Homes
Reply #3 on : Wed December 01, 2010, 10:54:43

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James raises valid points. it's not the houses, or the businesses that make a town. It's the people. If the people of Wincanton care, it will be always be a great town. When people don't care, a town becomes heartless and sad.

Wincanton is not, and never will be the small old character town that it used to be. Wincanton, because it is a great rural town is a big attraction to many people who currently live and work in many of our major towns and cities. Many of those people actually decide that they are fed up of living in a large busy and polluted place and decide to come and live in the country. That is a natural process, and I can't blame them.

I moved from the Scottish countryside to live and work in Bristol. The best move I made was from Bristol to Wincanton. I believe that this is a process that will continue long after I have departed this world.

So what can we do about it? I believe that our responsibility is to work to ensure that as far as we possibly can, we keep our town in a positive balance between housing and business. We have a town with a good town centre. Yet many people still drive nearly 20 miles to support shops like Tesco or ASDA etc., in other communities that bring no benefit to Wincanton.

I want to see the people of this great town proud to support the town at every opportunity. I would like to see planning that inspires confidence and stops cloned houses from being built in random fashion. We are supposed to have controls over such things, but I agree with James that a lot of building projects don't even seem to be built with any sympathy for their surroundings.

There isn't, and probably never will be any easy answers to these questions, but if people who care about our town as a whole are prepared to speak up and promote positive discussion and debate, maybe we will make good progress.

If enough people peak up maybe the authorities who have the power to make decisions, will take notice. If our people don't care enough to speak up, why should the decision makers care?

Nick Colbert
Posts: 1

New houses v New business
Reply #4 on : Sun December 05, 2010, 10:57:23

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As Dave Stone comments “we need new business’s in the town” and he is right, I would urge people to look at Colin Winders comment on SSDC's Core Strategy on the 'Wincanton Window' and the comments.

As I was out and about in Dancing Lane and Verrington last week I was surprised to learn of the proposal to build new houses in those locations and the speed with which SSDC seems to have embraced the idea.

In all my 25 years as an estate agent in Wincanton it was always understood that the building line went behind the houses along the left as you headed to Verrington hospital and it still does. There is plenty of land to develop within the town plan, clearly the land between Common Road and Devonish (Historically Devilish) Lane will be built on, as will the land South of West Hill over time, it all fits neatly into the Wincanton envelope, so why the need to stray into greenfield areas?

The land I have outlined above, within the Wincanton envelope, is 100’s of acres. I would have thought that should suffice for new housing for the time being. We need an expansion of the Business Park to provide new employment as a priority.

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