COMMUNITY SURVEY RESULTS

The Community Survey which took place in October has concluded that at this time up to 18 people expressed a need for affordable housing in the Parish of Trull.

14 of the respondents were current Trull residents
12 respondents had a family connection to Trull
2 respondents are employed in Trull
6 respondents are currently living in unsatisfactory or over crowded accomodation
7 respondents wish to move out of the parents house
6 respondents have an insecure tenancy agreement

7 of the properties required were 1 bed
6 of the properties required were 2 bed
2 of the properties required were 3 bed

The majority of residents earnt under £18,000 per annum

The survey is only a snapshot in time , peoples requirements change.

It is clear there is some need but not to the extent that Summerfield Developments are proposing.

EXPECT AN APPLICATION SOON !!!

I have been informed that a planning application could appear very shortly.

I am delighted that we did the survey with the Community Council as I feel certain this will help address the issue of need.

In addition the clear message from everyone that has commented on the site with regards highways is that the site will be most unsuitable.

This aside I am still expecting an application shortly.

Community Survey

The Parish Council have sent a survey to all households in Trull and Staplehay which I assited in distributing.

We will get the results at the Parish Council meeting in December from the Community Council.

There has been no news recently...not that I take any confort from that.

A TASTE OF THINGS TO COME!!

These pictures were sent by a local resident.

This traffic jam occurred last Saturday when Police temporarily closed Trull Rd due to an accident. People tried to cut through on Comeytrowe road and the road was in total chaos. It gives a clear example of what Comeytrowe road could be like if the development went ahead. The road obviously can't cope with any increase in traffic volume and I think it serves to justify that peoples concerns about the proposal are very legitimate.

HIGHWAYS

Comeytrowe Road is completely unsuitable for a development such as this. I have been inundated with emails, letters and phone calls and everyone has commented on the lunacy of allowing a development of 80 houses creating 120 plus cars at probably 500 traffic movements per day.

I urge anone reading this to write to the Highways authority at County Hall and clearly state the case to them why increasing traffic on this road is so wrong.

Housing Survey

I have met with Don Archer and discussed the survey and the logistics. Don is meeting with the community Council to discuss the format of questions. I suggested that maybe we work with Comeytrowe he is going to discuss with them. It is certainly better if we can work as one but I don't want this to hold up the process.

I am meeting with Don Archer shortly to discuss the housing survey that we are planning in the coming weeks. This should certainly highlight the actual need in the Parish which will greatly help if and when an application comnes forward.

My main suggestion at present would be to write to the Highways Autority at Somerset County Council this is certainly central to all objections I have received to date.

Parish Council Meeting

It was an excellent turnout to hear the discussions about Affordable Housing and then this specific development. I would suggest the vast majority were certainly against this development and ultimately the issue that was repeated constantly was one of highways.

This development will impact greatly on what is a lane. There is no way of changing that fact and pressure needs to be directed to the Highways authority clearly indicating this concern.

The residents all appreciate the need in society for affordable housing but it needs to be appropriate and based on need.

I have aggreed to help Don Archer on the PC with a Housing Needs Survey so hopefully we can progress this shortly as it will hold some weight with this proposal but will also help us all to target that specific ned.

these local residents are concerned about this development threat

Parish Council Meeting

The Parish Council meeting on Monday the 17th September has been moved from the Memorial Hall to Trull School as they are going to discuss the planned development at Comeytrowe Road and they are expecting a large turnout. I would suggest that is wise as I am still receiving letters and emails daily about this issue.

The lighting problem at Gatchells is now resolved they are going to install a dimmer. Always good to get a positive result.

I was delighted that the Gazette featured our protest picture in the paper today although saddened that as expected Cllr Henley is still creating due to the housing planned in Wellington which he seems to like to blame me for even though it wasn't my portfolio at the time it was planned! Sadly Cllr Paul in Comeytrowe is implying similar in the paper which is most unhelpful I thought he would be against this development but it appears not from his comments.

Anyway politics aside I wam pleased with the direction this is taking and whilst I suspect we will see a planning application by year end I am not convinced that it will be deemed a suitable site and am truly hopeful the Council will reject it.

The pressure needs to be maintained however.

The picture shown highlights the close proximity of the possible development with Comeytrowe and if the field was developed next to the field proposed Trull and Comeytrowe would be clearly be linked.

It is difficult to see if they allow one exception site to be allowed how they will be able to stop further development in this situation if a developer pressed the Council.

The indications I have is that the administration are not going to try and stop this progressing even though it sits outside of the local plan. I hope that is not the case as I am aware that hundreds of people are against this development.

I have been made aware that The Leader of the Council, Ross Henley has critised me through the newspapers for my position on Affordable Housing and called me a hypocrite for supporting "affordable housing" but not in my own ward. I need to respond to this position it is clear to me and I will need to write to the Wellington Weekly and Gazette.

To me it is clear:

I support affordable housing as a principle where appropriate and where there is a clear need.

This development is not appropriate, its a greenfield site, the need is only 6 to 10 in the Trull ward not 80 and the consequences on infrastructure are clear to everyone.

Trull and Comeytrowe have clearly indicated to me they don't want this development and I therefore will have to suggest to Cllr Henley that his administration carefully consider what they are allowing to happen. Indeed by virtue of the fact that the developers have clearly had a steer from the officers at the Council he leads and spent thousands of pounds on the process before he should be telling me why he feels this is appropriate.

I still find it ironic that his political party stood at the local elections on a ticket to protect this land and yet within months...

Many of the residents in the area will feel the impact of this development. However the residents of Jubilee Terrace and Overlands etc will be hughely impacted upon. The height of the land is excessive compared to these existing houses.

Comeytrowe Consultation

There was a large number of visitors to the Comeytrowe consultation and the vast majority were against this proposal.

Everyone appreciates the need for affordable housing but they also believe any development of any type should be where appropriate and this is not appropriate.

I spent sometime speaking with the developer and it did flag up some fundamental concerns about how this proposal has been pursued. I need to assess further.

County Council discussions on Highways

I met up with Cllr Stephen Martin Scott the Local County Councillor to discuss in detail the concerns with regards Highways. The consultation is later today so I will head down to see the presentation.

I am still stunned they think it is sensible to put another 100 cars down this road. It could be 500 traffic movements per day!!

I had to head down Comeytrowe Road to see a resident today and the road was busy due to tractors and cars competing for space, truly highlights the key issue with regards increasing traffic movements by up to 500 a day if the development is allowed to go forward.

There is a lighting problem that needs solving at Gatchells seems they are lighting the nights sky and local residents houses at night!! Needs resolving.

I arranged to meet with some of the residents of Comeytrowe Road on Saturday and also delivered a letter to as many residents as possible highlighting what was happening in the locality.

I was delighted that nearly 50 people turned up to find out more about what was being proposed and to highlight their concerns. The concerns echoed including the existing problems with the lane which makes access to this site ridiculous.

I hope common sense prevails as this one issue is enough for me without all the other concerns which mount daily.

The residents are producing an excellent leaflet to inform the local people and hopefully this will increase the number of people that attend the consultation.

I just hope plenty of people attend this consultation and state clearly their concerns.

Friday evening the 31st August I met with a group of residents who live in the area most impacted by the proposed development in Trull.

We all aggreed there was a need for affordable housing and understand and respect the arguments but also agreed this should not be at any cost to the environment and our green spaces.

The development needs to appropriate which it is not.

There were very carefully considered and measured comments made the majority of which have a direct bearing on a proposal like this.

Th road in question is certainly not able to take the potential 500 traffic movements this development would create.

The schools in the locality would struggle to take the potential influx of children.

The village of Trull would increase in housing and poulation terms by up to 15%.

I am greatly concerned about this development and I hope that the Liberal Democrats at Taunton Deane Borough Council change their mind.