CONTROVERSIAL plans for a supermarket in Williton were turned down last night at a dramatic meeting of the West Somerset Council planning committee.

Williton residents, the majority of whom were against the proposal, packed into the Council Chamber to witness a meeting which had the potential to transform their village.

Developer David Gliddon submitted two separate proposals, the first for a supermarket and car park in behind his current hardware store on Bank Street, and a second for a roundabout and access road off Bank Street, as well as number of smaller retail units which would have pedestrian access to Fore Street.

The council planning officers Bryn Kitching and Tim Burton warned that they would struggle to defend the decision to turn down the second application if a legal challenge were mounted.

But after much deliberation, passionate speeches from members of the public, consultants, planning officers and councillors alike, both applications were rejected.

Taunton Deane Area Planning manager Bryn Kitching opened the evening with a presentation about the proposals and why they had been recommended for approval.

Mr Kitching highlighted that the second proposal fell within a retail boundary agreed in the council's Emerging Local Plan, within which councils are encourage to promote retail developments.

He also emphasised that when the previous application had been turned down, the reason given was because of the impact the development would have on the viability of the town centre, not because of objections to the road layout.

Therefore because the second application fell within the Emerging Local Plan retail boundaries and had not been turned down for highways reasons when previously considered, Mr Kitching said he could see no good planning reason for councillors to reject the second application.

Following Mr Kitching's presentation, members of the public were then invited to speak.

Alan Stiven, of Keep Williton Special said: "The South West Ambulance Service say there will be delays in ambulance response times of up to four minutes due to extra supermarket traffic, which, put simply, could be the difference between life and death.

"The access road is an accident waiting to happen, and with the amount of jobs that will be lost due to store closures I don't believe there will be any net gain in employment."

Fellow objectors included Wendy Spencer,Louise Martin, chartered planning consultant Stephen Gill and chairman of Williton Parish Council Cllr Robert McDonald.

Town planning and economic regeneration consultant Clive Miller was one of those in favour, saying that with recent job losses and deprivation in the area the need had never been greater.

"We estimate the development will create 135 full time jobs, and will cost £7m in construction which will also provide work. They have built stores similar to this in Langport and Ilminster and local independent businesses are thriving. It is telling that 94 businesses in West Somerset have written in support," he said.

Other supporters included chartered surveyor and Stogumber resident Tom Vesey, retail planning consultant Christine Reeves and agent Mark Wood.

During the debate itself Cllr Ian Aldridge was one of the only councillors to speak strongly in favour of the development.

"I have received lots of letters of objection and I assure you I have read everyone of them, and I thank those people for writing. However I think it is important to remember that the aim of this process is to facilitate development, not to hamper it, and certainly in principal it does not contravene planning policy," Mr Aldridge said.

Cllr Keith Turner questioned the traffic layout, emphasised the importance of not losing Lloyds Bank and highlighted the number of objections received from residents.

"I have been on the planning committee for nine years and I cannot remember a time when I have received so many emails, all but one of which were objections," he said. 

"Councils are often criticised for not listening, surely we have to listen to what the residents want, they are the people who live here."

Cllr Peter Murphy pointed out how illogical it seemed to have to deal with the two linked planning applications separately.

"Why are the two planning applications separate when they are so clearly linked? If we approve the second but not the first we could end up with a roundabout to nowhere," Cllr Murphy said.

Chairman of West Somerset Council Stuart Dowding added: "We may find it difficult to refuse this second application for planning reasons, but the sentiment is clear. If what the planning officers are saying is correct then as long as a planning application ticks all the boxes, it is game, set and match. If that is so, then there is no need for a planning committee."

Following nearly two-and-a-half hours of debate, chairman of the planning committee drew the debate to close and called for a vote.

The first application for the store and car parking was rejected by nine votes to two, and then despite being warned by WSC's assistant director of planning and the environment Tim Burton that rejecting the second application would leave the council in a tricky legal position, councillors voted against it by six votes to three.

Asked for a comment following the meeting, developer Mr Gliddon said: "I will have to give it some thought."