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Plans for housing revealed

Plans for a controversial housing estate on Farleigh Farm fields in Backwell, Bristol, have been submitted to North Somerset Council by Persimmon Homes Severn Valley.


The plans include demolishing two houses to create a new junction on to the main A370, which all the homes will use to access the site. They set out the appearance, landscaping and scale of the 113 houses.

Backwell Neighbourhood Plan was drawn up in 2015, setting out where villagers wanted new homes and the farm fields were allocated for green space and vital agricultural use.

Plans for houses on the fields were rejected by the local parish council, North Somerset Council and the Secretary of State. Persimmon appealed last year and a Cheshire-based Planning Inspector granted outline planning permission.

At an inquiry in Weston Town Hall last March, Persimmon said all the details would be revealed to local people at a later stage when local views could be given. Local people have only until January 26 to make any comments on the 32 documents submitted to the council after Persimmon chose to submit the plans during the festive holidays. No public exhibition or consultation is planned.

Persimmon, who own adjoining fields, are planning further development across the site. Persimmon Homes in Backwell will fetch a premium compared to identical house types in Hayward Village, Weston-super-Mare.

The housing mix includes one-bedroom and up to four bedroom houses on a sloping site leading up to Backwell Church.

The plans include a play area with one bench, two swings, a see-saw and roundabout as a benefit for the local community along with tree planting. A large pond will be created behind existing houses in Farleigh Road in a bid to prevent the site flooding.