FLOOD fears, slums and Taunton’s ideal industries were among the key talking points as councillors approved the latest application for Firepool.

Residents and councillors debated the application for nearly two hours, with many addressing developers St Modwen’s proposals for flood mitigation.

The group’s plan, which has been backed by the environment agency, will see temporary flood barriers stored near at-risk homes, like Clarence Street, and then erected when water levels rise.

Several residents and councillors raised concerns over the plans, with some arguing that there is not enough space for the barriers in some places, and that it will take too long to get the mitigation features down before ‘serious damage’ is done.

Cllr Marcia Hill, the planning committee vice chairman, said: “We are in quite a different place to the last time this came to us. I must admit I am quite pleased.

“Last time we didn’t have that proper connection to the station. That was one of my key concerns. Now we will have a two-sided boulevard and I hope it will be delivered properly.

“We do need to think about flood mitigation in a different way, and I agree with the residents that they don’t know what is going to happen and what is going to work.

“I would like to include a condition that members of the public are consulted on these plans. It is looking more and more like we are going to get flooding.”

Cllr Ian Morrell added: “We all saw how woeful Taunton Deane and Somerset County Council were in relation to the recent snow.

“When it comes to it, I do not think that we will have the whereabouts to put these temporary defences in place before serious damage is done.”

Cllr Morrell also faced some condemnation from the planning committee after likening social housing with towels hanging out of the windows to ‘slums’.

He said: “If you are living on the main boulevard in the town, then hanging your towels out of the window is not acceptable.

“I see it elsewhere in the town. It is like an advert for football teams. I don’t think that it is acceptable, unless you are living in a slum.”

After some talking between councillors, a TDBC officer said: “I have never seen a planning condition like that and I think it would probably be unreasonable.”

Meanwhile, another planning committee member added that Cllr Morrell’s comments ‘belong in the 18th century’.

There were a lot of references to the changes made since the previous application, which was flatly refused by councillors in August 2016, and labelled a ‘tarmac jungle’.

Some councillors still questioned the design submitted by St Modwen.

The original plan was dominated by a single ground surface car park which faced harsh criticism two years ago.

While some people at the time suggested a multi-storey car park would be a better use of space, the new application features three smaller car parks across the site, with the same number of parking spaces, 425.

Jefferson Horsley, councillor for Fairwater, said: “The application is an improvement on the previous application, but that wasn’t difficult was it.

“There are failures again to provide multi-decking car parking.

“I have been told in conversations with St Modwen that even if approved it will take another 12 months to put together the details and another 12 months start development.

“I really find it astonishing and I question the deliverability.

“I predict that by May 2020 we will see nothing more than a few more houses, and not the affordable kind.”

Habib Farbahi, councillor for Comeytrowe, felt more imagination was required of planners.

He said: “We risk having another run of the mill supermarket and shopping centre within a few hundred yards of the town centre.

“We need to create sustainable job opportunities. We need to look at growing industries and markets in innovation.

“For this development to succeed in its present form might take divine intervention.

“The tax payers are the major shareholders in this plan. What is the financial gain out of this proposal?”

Cllr Marcia Hill said: “Regardless of what our dream development is, we have to compromise on the best we can get.

“Last time we didn’t have that proper connection to the station. That was one of my key concerns.

“I actually think that the planning officers have gone as far as they can in an outline planning application.

“We will have more detail coming forward, hopefully it will not be a year.”

Cllr Jean Adkins added: “I do like the river frontage, I do like the way the parking is split up, and obviously the boulevard is the key to this.

“It is definitely a huge improvement, and I think it has overcome the previous objections.”

Meanwhile, Cllr Morrell said: “I do want to congratulate the planners. Nearly two decades in the making for a supermarket and some flats, well done.”

He also questioned whether building shops and restaurants at Firepool would take business from other parts of the town.

He said: “This application will only allow the town centre to dilapidate further. We are not large enough to sustain maintain multiple main shopping locations.”

Cllr Simon Nicholls also expressed concerns about businesses on Station Road who would see less people passing by due to Firepool’s new boulevard.

He added: “I am concerned about businesses in the station road area. There must be 50 to 75 retailers along that stretch, far too many to just brush aside.

“A previous councillor mentioned change. You see it year on year. One of the biggest seen now and for some years is changing shopping habits. We are seeing a lot more online, and I think an investment in this area is very risky.

“I don’t think this will bring people in, and I don’t think, just because it is an improvement, that is a reason to go for it.”