PLANS for 140 new homes in North Petherton have been described as ‘a disaster waiting to happen’ by furious residents.

North Petherton Town Council hosted a community consultation last week, showing its copy of the controversial plans for land off Newton Road, from speculative development company Gladman Developments Limited, at the community centre and the responses were overwhelmingly against the idea.

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Among those at the event was outraged Brenda Thorne, who has poured through the documents and said she had a number of reservations about the development.

“North Petherton is already plagued by traffic queues morning, noon and night and six years of potential construction will cause even more congestion,” Mrs Thorne said.

“This cannot be allowed to happen and it is a disaster waiting to happen for existing road users.”

Mrs Thorne has written a detailed letter with a list of objections which include concerns over the movement of HGVs along Newton Road, invasion of privacy for residents opposite the site, development of green belt land and added that the local services, schools, dentists and doctors were already overstretched.

She also felt the speed with which the application seemed to be being pushed through left little time for residents to organise formal opposition to the plans.

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Fellow resident Tessa Shaw said residents will do ‘everything they can’ to fight the application.

“We already have a lot of development here - the aim seems to be to have one long sprawl between Burnham and Taunton,” she said.

“The proposed development is outside the settlement boundary for the village. 

“It is difficult to imagine any additional houses are needed in North Petherton given the developments of Wilstock Village, the Bridgwater Gateway as well as sites being built on in Monkton Heathfield and Bathpool.”

North Petherton Town Council's planning committee unianimously voted to object the plan at its meeting on Monday night.

However, the developer believes the scheme could bring a big boost to the North Petherton economy.

It says in the application: “There is an indication that the gross spending power of the new residents could be in excess of £3 million per year, a proportion of which will be spent in the locality.” 

The company adds: “The new development will have new public open space and footpaths, a fully equipped play space to cater for a range of ages, affordable housing to help those wanting to get onto to the property ladder, high quality housing and increased customers and support for businesses.” 

Gladman says it will work closely with the highways authority to ensure the development can be accommodated.