Ruling in favour of housing estate on Farleigh Fields
A planning Inspector has ruled that 125 houses can be built on farm fields in Backwell with the demolition of two houses on the A370 to provide access.
The Inspector, Andrea Mageean allowed an appeal by Persimmon Homes for the plan. Previous plans for Farleigh Fields had been turned down at all levels, including an appeal to the Secretary of State.
Persimmon timed their appeal to be heard before consultation over North Somerset’s plans for housing, which did not include this site, were finalised.
Cllr Bridget Petty, who represents the village on the council said: “It is fair to say that I am feeling pretty devastated about this. North Somerset Councilplanning officials had rejected the application; and Backwell Parish Council had rejected the application. Residents around, near and far, had been rejecting that application for 20 years.
“The inspectors hired by the Government have decided that building on lots of our land is the way forward. Fighting with all of our local tools is really not working. It’s a really worrying state.”
She urged local people to write to Liam Fox MP.
Martin Powell, who has lived in the village for over 20 years, was one of 400 local people who objected to the plans and made their views known at the Planning Inquiry.
He said: “Our planning system needs to be completely reformed. What has happened here is a Planning Inspector from Cheshire has come to the village, wandered around the fields a few times and sat in Weston-super-Mare listening to a London barrister and is able to overturn the decisions of local people and their democratically-elected representatives. She is even allowed to overturn the decision of the Secretary of State.
“In 2015 the Government brought in the concept of Neighbourhood Plans and Backwell was one of the first villages to set out how it wanted to develop for the future. This Conservative initiative was supposed to give people a way to have their say on development.
“This decision means that initiative was a complete waste of time and money for local people as it has been ignored. Our MP Liam Fox said he would fight for these fields – he seems powerless. Our elected representatives on North Somerset Council and Backwell Parish Council were against this development – they are ignored.
“Persimmon will destroy the protected bat population and wildlife; cause flooding; make the roads more congested and overwhelm local services with a housing estate of 125 homes on farm fields that are vital for food production and which are enjoyed by the local population for recreation.
“The Planning Inspector says in her report that North Somerset already has enough new housing plans to meet its needs for the next 3.5 years, but the Government planning system demands five years. She also says the development will affect the character of Backwell and that 90% of the land that the housing estate is built on is top quality agricultural land. Despite this she has given the green light to the development against local wishes.”
