PLANS to build 323 new homes on the southern border of Chard have been criticised for not providing enough infrastructure.

Construction firm Persimmon Homes has now finally submitted its application to South Somerset District Council for land off Forton Road in Tatworth.

The plans show a new spine road through the centre of the site from Tatworth Road where a new roundabout will be built, to Forton Road.

Thirty-five per cent of the new houses will be affordable – about 113 of the buildings.

The application said: “The proposed development site forms a broad strip of land on the southern edge of Chard with irregular field boundaries. The site is currently used as grazing pasture.

“The construction phase is expected to be phased over a period of six years with completion of approximately 50 units a year.

“Residential properties on Holbear that share a boundary with the site would gain views of the proposed development.

“The view from the rear of the properties would be modified from views over a grass field to Forton to views of increased density of residential property.

“The properties have high sensitivity and would experience a medium magnitude of change, resulting in a major adverse significance of effect.

“The proposal site, south of Chard, has the ability to accommodate the appropriately designed residential development without any unacceptable landscape impacts.

“The development will be accessed via a proposed new roundabout at Tatworth Road (A358) with further access provision via a new junction to be created onto the Forton Road (B3162).

“The main route through the site has been designed having regard to the expectations set out in the Chard Regeneration Framework in terms of footways, cycle paths and the potential to serve as the eastern link between the A30 and A358 in the future.”

The spine road is expected to have a 30mph speed limit. The proposed site is around 9.4 hectares and is approximately a kilometre from the centre of Chard.

Chard’s Town Mayor Cllr Dave Bulmer criticised the plans.

He said: “My concern is that with the addition of the other 200 dwellings between Holbear and Ashcroft, that is quite a sizeable number of houses.

“I have always said we need the infrastructure to go hand in hand with the development. There are some open spaces.

“At the same time we need careful thought on the existing road structure. The fear is with Forton Road, which is heavily used already.

“We already have a dangerous junction at St Mary’s Church and we need to be careful with adding traffic to that.”

Persimmon held public consultations on the proposals in November 2013 and October 2014.

Concerns raised then included employment generation and impact on services, traffic and schools, and affordability of the homes.

In the Chard Development Plan, it says that by 2028 at least 1,220 dwellings, around 13 hectares of employment land, one new primary school, two neighbourhood centres (Millfields and Holbear) and sports and open space provision should be built.

The proposed Forton Road development features 323 dwellings, vehicular access, estate roads and pavements, pedestrian and cycle access, public open space, attenuation ponds, and landscaping.