TIME is running out for the people of Chard, Tatworth and Forton to voice their opinion over the proposed planning of more than 500 homes to the south of the town.

A petition has been set up by residents of Holbear and Chard, who are opposing the applications made by Persimmon homes.

The petition labels the applications as “unsuitable, unsustainable, un-reflective, poorly located and unsympathetic.”

One of the residents, Tracey Berry, said: “The council have been absolutely incredible with their knowledge and anything that they can do to help us.

“I spent more than £400,000 on a house for the location and now they want to build six houses in the space of my garden.

“I understand that because it falls outside the border of Chard, that it would increase the housing in Forton and Tatworth by 30 per cent.”

In April, Chard town councillor Sue Wyatt addressed the 200 home application.

She said: “The road on Tatworth Road is inadequate. For the people coming from Chardstock lane it is a blind spot.

“There is more infrastructure needed. We have not got adequate school spaces, and doctor’s surgeries.”

In July, Chard’s Town Mayor Cllr Dave Bulmer criticised the plan to build 323 houses on land adjacent to Holbear.

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.”

The last day of the petition will be Monday, September 26.

To view the petition, click on the link below

PlanningApplicationPetition.docx

To sign the petition, contact Tracey Berry at traceyberry1@icloud.com.