Plans for 530 homes on Dunwear Lane in Bridgwater approved

Lance Alec Rainey House and Hannick Homes Developments Ltd. applied jointly in May 2021 to build 560 homes on Dunwear Lane in Bridgwater, on the eastern edge of the town and a short distance from the motorway.

Sedgemoor District Council’s development committee deferred a decision on the plans in November 2022, stating it needed more information on how the development would impact local health services and Bridgwater’s road network.

After a two-and-a-half-hour debate, the revised plans – which lowered the total number of homes to 530 – were narrowly approved after the committee’s chairman used his casting vote.

Here’s everything you need to know about what went down at this passionate planning meeting:

Why are homes planned for this site?

The land east of Bower Lane and Dunwear Lane (dubbed the ‘East Bridgwater’ site) is identified for future housing growth within the council’s Local Plan, which runs until 2032.

The land was originally expected to deliver around 1,200 new homes, along with a primary school, community hall, retail units and a new spine road linking the A39 Bath Road with the A372 Westonzoyland Road via a new roundabout.

The northernmost part of the site has already been developed, with Somerset County Council delivering the new £23m Polden Bower specialist school in June 2021.

The revised plans were narrowly approved after the committee’s chairman used his casting vote. (Image: MHP)

At the southern end of Bower Lane, Countryside Partnerships and LiveWest have begun construction of 260 new homes on the Strawberry Grange site, the first of which will be available to the public by the end of the year.

This development will include the new roundabout on the A372 (delivered jointly with the new homes planned to the south) and the first stage of the spine road, allowing Bower Lane to be reduced to a more cycle-friendly route.

The rest of the spine road is expected to be delivered by Edward Ware Homes, which has teased proposals for a further 750 homes on Bower Lane, along with a new primary school.

Between them, the expected number of homes across the East Bridgwater site is expected to be closer to 1,600 – nearly 400 higher than anticipated.

What is proposed for the Dunwear Lane site?

The Dunwear Lane developers have put forward outline plans for up to 530 new homes – a reduction of 30 homes since the plans were last considered in November 2022.

Due to viability issues surrounding the site (including the cost of delivering the new roundabout), the developers are only proposing that ten per cent of the new homes will be affordable – far below the district council’s 30 per cent target for any new development of ten homes or more.

Additionally, the council will not be able to charge the full amount of community infrastructure levy (CIL) on the site, meaning there will be less money for projects in Bridgwater and the surrounding parishes.

The proposed site of 530 homes on Dunwear Lane in Bridgwater. (Image: Daniel Mumby)

To compensate for this, the developers have pledged to provide more than £3m for the new primary school planned to the north, as well as £662,500 towards the upgrade of the Dunball roundabout, which will be completed by February 2024.

In addition, more than £883,000 will be provided for off-site road improvements (including better pedestrian and cycling routes locally), and £600,000 will be given for play areas and green open space within the site.

NHS Somerset typically requests contributions from developers towards new doctors’ surgeries or other facilities in the area – but on this occasion, health bosses have not demanded a single penny.

A spokesman said: “There is currently capacity for 2,972 new patients.

“Taking into account the 1,288 patients this new development could attract, there is still capacity for a further 1,684 patients. We would not be seeking a contribution on this basis.”

What did the public have to say?

Numerous protesters gathered outside the Canalside in Bridgwater on Tuesday morning (February 7), calling on the council to stop “concreting over the countryside”.

This passion was reflected inside the chamber as well, with committee chairman Bob Filmer threatening to remove the public several times after planning officers were heckled.

David Preece – who served as a district councillor between 2003 and 2011 – said the plans were an example of “history repeating itself”.

He said: “We’ve not learned from Eastern Avenue or Taunton’s build-up of housing up to the M5 – something we said we would never do.

“Bower Lane is being closed for the county council’s benefit, not for us.”

Liz Browne, who sits on Bridgwater Without Parish Council, criticised NHS Somerset’s “sweeping assurances” that local health services could cope, and said too much housing was being delivered in Bridgwater too quickly.

Several members of the public left in protest before the final vote was taken. (Image: Sarah Baker)

Ms Browne – a senior practice nurse based at the Vine Surgery in Street – said: “Local surgeries are frequently reporting that they are under severe pressure, struggling to cope, with increased deterioration in performance.

“Last Friday (February 3), East Quay Medical Centre declared it was at critical capacity, advising those with a medically urgent problem to call 999, 111 or to visit either A&E or the minor injuries unit (MIU).

“Conversely, Bridgwater MIU has recently began requesting that surgeries do not direct patients to them, as they are also at capacity.

“Many surgeries are still struggling to accommodate patients, and are also unable to recruit new GPs.

“A vulnerable elderly lady in my parish, who waited seven weeks for a GP visit, now has pneumonia. The local population is being added to relentlessly, outstripping our services, putting lives at risk.

“It is preposterous that Hannick Homes can walk away with massive profits, giving crumbs to our residents, while the fallout yet again must be met by the public purse.”

Tim Mander from Bridgwater Town Council added: “Back in June, the bus route which covers the Bridge estate was removed.

“Given that the government’s bus support grant will be removed in March, there will be more vehicle movements from the site.

“I don’t think £800,000 will address the traffic issues in any way. The roads will not sustain this.

“Too often, developers shout ‘jump’ and our planning officers say ‘how high?’. It’s just not acceptable.”

What did the committee member say?

Councillor Kathy Pearce said that more housing was needed to meet demand in Bridgwater – but added the current plans for Dunwear Lane were not of a high enough standard.

She said: “We need to make sure that this is as good as it can be – and to say that the application before us is a disappointment is an understatement.

“If we accept an increase on the total number of homes originally agreed, it sets a precedent. For us to accept such as this a reduction in our own affordable homes policy – I can’t understand why a developer would agree to increase it later.

“Bridgwater is already a bottleneck. How much more has got to be loaded onto the town?”

The proposed site of a new roundabout on the A372 Westonzoyland Road. (Image: Daniel Mumby)

Councillor Anthony Betty – whose King’s Isle ward includes the site – concurred: “People aren’t worried about the developers’ profits; they’re worried about the impact on the local area and their services.”

Councillor Mike Murphy added: “I’m very disheartened about this. We should defer this again to try and get this back up to 20 per cent affordable housing – we are setting a precedent which is very dangerous.

“Travelling up and down the M5 as a councillor, you may have a long period trapped between junctions not able to move at all. Diesel cars and trucks are some of the biggest polluters in the country.

“A fence is not going to do anything to protect the people there [from motorway noise]. Putting all these things together, they are sufficiently important – they need to be corrected before we give the go-ahead.”

How did the meeting end – and what happens next?

Despite this opposition from councillors, a motion to refuse the plans was narrowly defeated by a margin of five votes to six.

A subsequent motion to approve the plans was tied at five votes to five, with one abstention – which led Mr Filmer to use his casting vote as chairman to approve the application.

Several members of the public left in protest before the final vote was taken.

The developers will now bring forward a reserved matters application, detailing the precise number, design and layout of the new homes.

Since Sedgemoor District Council will be abolished and replaced on April 1, this application will be determined by the new unitary Somerset Council.