Nether Stowey affordable homes can be removed from scheme

Strongvox Homes, which is based in Taunton, was granted permission in October 2020 to build 109 new houses on the Cricketer Farm brownfield site on the A39 Cannington Road in Nether Stowey, near the Quantock Hills area of outstanding natural beauty (AONB).

The developer applied to Sedgemoor District Council to get out of providing any affordable homes on the site, claiming the development as approved was no longer viable.

After putting off a decision for several weeks, the council’s development committee has now approved this change, arguing it may be able to deliver affordable homes in the village by other means.

The committee initially met in Bridgwater on April 5 to discuss the proposals, at which time Councillor Mike Caswell (whose Quantocks ward includes the site) stated local residents had been “stabbed in the back for the sake of sheer profit”.

Mr Caswell reiterated his criticism when the plans were considered afresh on Tuesday morning (April 26), stating that Strongvox was “taking Sedgemoor for a ride”.

He elaborated: “The viability card always goes in and the affordable housing or the play area goes out.

“We must look now at our communities of not just Nether Stowey but all the others. Sedgemoor deserves better. I cannot say how much I despise what is going on here.

“There are people in Nether Stowey who are living three generations in the same house. I urge you to throw this out and make the developer do what they promised to do.”

John Roberts from Nether Stowey Parish Council agreed: “It would appear that heritage and appearance considerations have taken priority over affordable housing. While we value both, we believe this is the wrong priority.

“We have studied the viability assessment, which is now more than 12 months old, and the local housing values have increased by 20 per cent. This increases the value of the development by £5million, which more than covers the shortfall.

“With or without affordable housing, the developer will make a profit, and the council will increase its housing stock – but we will not get the affordable housing we need.”

The independent viability assessment, which was jointly commissioned by the council and Strongvox, identified that the costs associated with delivering the development had risen by £4.27m – with the expected income from selling the homes only expected to rise by £3.96m.

Since the last meeting, EDF Energy has committed to providing £410,000 to deliver new affordable homes within the Cricketers Farm site, as part of a series of measures to mitigate the expanding workforce at the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station.

While this sum on its own will not be sufficient to deliver the 16 affordable homes which Strongvox had originally promised, the council would be able to apply to Homes England for grant funding to make up the difference.

Strongvox planning manager Bill Richardson said his company had “not turned its back” on Nether Stowey, adding: “This is a first – it is not something we do as a matter of course.

“Costs have increased at a time when we could not foresee them. We have worked with your officers to ensure that an alternative exists to deliver the affordable homes.”

Councillor Mike Murphy said the viability concerns were inevitable considering the current economic climate.

He said: “We have had a rise in the cost of raw materials, week after week, month after month.

“These price increases are universal – up until recently I was paying 85p for a pack of Tunnock’s caramel wafers, this week it was £1.15.

“I assure you the prices of housing will go up and up in relation to the costs.”

Councillor Bob Filmer, who chairs the committee, added: “I totally understand the attitude of the parish and their disappointment. But we have to take this issue into account – we cannot ignore viability.”

After around an hour’s debate, the committee voted to approve the plans by a margin of nine votes to one, with no abstentions.

Under the legal agreements, the council will be able to ‘claw back’ further funding from Strongvox if the site becomes more viable in the future.

Messrs Caswell, Filmer and Murphy are all standing in the local elections for the new unitary Somerset Council on May 5, in the divisions of Cannington, Brent and Burnham-on-Sea North respectively.