ILMINSTER NEWS: Persimmon’s 450-homes plans to be discussed by town council

MEMBERS of the public are being invited to attend a meeting where plans to build 450 homes on land off Canal Way in Ilminster will be discussed.

Ilminster Town Council’s planning, highways and transport committee will be holding a meeting on Tuesday (February 14, 2017) at Greenfylde First School in Ilminster from 7.30pm.

There is only one planning application on the agenda to be discussed – the proposed residential development for up to 450 homes and associated access on land south west of Canal Way.

The outline planning application for the site – entitled Coldharbour Farm – has been submitted to South Somerset District Council by developers Persimmon Homes.

But members of Ilminster Town Council will be able to discuss the plans first and pass on their views to the district council as to whether they support or oppose the project.

The proposed development site will start in the field behind the Meadows Surgery in Canal Way and next to Britten’s Field and then move along Canal Way and take over the fields which sit behind the Adams Meadow estate.

The earmarked site has already been allocated in the council’s own plans for “direction of growth” for Ilminster’s future housing.

PHOTO - RIGHT: It might be a bit premature to say "coming soon" just yet to this Persimmon Homes application, but the earmarked site is already the council's preferred "direction of growth" for housing in Ilminster.

It is expected that many people will want to attend the town council’s meeting on Tuesday (February 14, 2017) where members of the public will have the chance to speak about the application.

But people have been told that they will have to follow the correct protocol in the meeting.

The committee chairman, Cllr Andrew Shearman, will firstly announce the agenda item and then the landowner, applicant and agent – if present – will be invited to make a short presentation.

The chairman will then take the meeting out of formal session and call the representatives of any neighbouring parish councils to speak.

Members of the public, who have already told a council officer on arrival at the meeting that they wish to raise an objection to the application, will then be allowed to make their comments.

Those people in favour of the application – who also notify a council officer on arrival at the meeting that they wish to speak – will be invited to make their comments following those in objection.

Once all members of the public, who have requested to speak have done so, the chairman will then take the meeting back into formal session.

Councillors will then have the opportunity to ask questions of the landowner, applicant and agent before debating the proposals and voting on a recommendation to South Somerset District Council.

PHOTO - ABOVE: The planned development site is outlined.

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