ILMINSTER NEWS: Town council says NO to Shudrick Valley plans

COUNCILLORS have tonight (Tuesday, March 15, 2016) voted against plans to build up to 220 homes on the picturesque Shudrick Valley area of Ilminster.

Members of Ilminster Town Council’s planning, highways and transport committee met at Greenfylde First School where they voted 8-4 against the proposals put forward by developers C. G. Fry & Son and the Dillington Estate.

Cllr Rob Drayton proposed that the application – an amended plan to a previous proposals submitted in June 2014 for a development of up to 330 homes – should be turned down on numerous factors.

He said that the proposals included no provision for employment to support the people of the envisaged development, the site was not sustainable, it did not have a suitable road network, fears over flooding, impact on the landscape and the visual amenity, as well as harm ListedBuildings and the conservation area.

Cllr Drayton added that brownfield land should be developed ahead of greenfield land and that lower grade agricultural land should be used first.

He added that there were fears over light and noise emissions and concluded it would be an over-development of the town.

“The developers have suggested that building on Shudrick Valley would improve its appearance,” he said. “If it wasn’t so serious, that statement would be laughable.”

A large number of residents attended the meeting where several spoke out in opposition to the application.

A final decision on the application will rest with South Somerset District Council.

More news on this later.

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