Controversy in Henstridge: Council overrides local opposition and greenlights 130-home development despite safety concerns and infrastructure challenges
by Rachael Rowe
When 266 residents formally write to complain about a housing proposal and more than 80 people turn up at a planning meeting to make their feelings known, it’s clear that the community is genuinely concerned about a proposed development.
Stalbridge, Henstridge and Templecombe straddle the Dorset/Somerset border, and all have experienced several large planning applications in the last few years, all of which have added pressure to the A357 corridor which winds through the villages and onwards to the A30 and A303. Now, a further large development in the Townsend Green area of Henstridge has raised questions as to how planning applications are decided and infrastructure provided.
The road through Henstridge
For more than five years, developers have been seeking permission to build 130 houses on a field in Henstridge from which traffic would flow onto an already congested A road, with an alternate route affecting a school run. The development was unanimously rejected by South Somerset District Council in January 2018, and on appeal a directive was imposed, preventing construction until the issue of pedestrian safety on the A357 in Henstridge had been resolved.
Many homes in the centre of Henstridge are listed, built at a time before cars existed, let alone the number present today. Doors open directly onto what is now the A357. The village has no mains gas supply: deliveries such as heating oil must be done from the street, sometimes bringing traffic to a standstill. In parts there is no pavement, in others are narrow pinch points. Passing places are very limited, and two large lorries are unable to pass without stopping on an A road. Any major building development would need to carefully consider the implications of increased traffic flow and pedestrian safety.
Refused and then agreed
In April this year, Somerset Council unanimously refused the Henstridge application. The developers appealed, and a date was set for a hearing by the Planning Inspectorate for 6th October. Henstridge Parish Council engaged Counsel and began preparing for the appeal. But the process was stopped in its tracks when parish councillors discovered that a meeting had been scheduled on 29th July between the developers, Barratt David Homes, the planning inspector and Somerset Council. The meeting was to be held in private, and Henstridge Parish Council had to apply to attend.
Henstridge councillor Adrian Gaymer explained: ‘A “Statement of Common Ground” was discussed at the end of the meeting, which had been signed on 24th and 25th July by all parties. The copy requested by our representative showed that the only part of the appeal still in dispute was the condition that dealt with pedestrian safety, and how to achieve it to everyone’s satisfaction. The inspector asked everyone to focus on this condition alone.’
However, at some stage on the same day the developers proposed a scheme for the discharge of conditions of condition 10iii to Somerset Council. That scheme was not disclosed to Henstridge Parish Council for eight days and is now visible on the Somerset Council Planning Portal as 24/01727/DOC1.
Councillor Gaymer continued: ‘Four days later, on Friday 2nd August, we understand that this proposal was officially agreed by the planning officer and condition 10 in all three parts was discharged as acceptable, hence building could start. On Tuesday 6th August planning officer John Hammond emailed the parish council to break the news to us that condition 10 had been discharged.’
This case is one that was unanimously rejected by elected councillors in April this year – it raises questions as to how council officers can make decisions on planning.
Somerset Council has to deal with hundreds of decisions each week and if each one were to go to a committee there would be countless delays. However, the council’s constitution allows decisions to be delegated to officers in specific circumstances, primarily for business continuity. As the developers submitted an application for a discharge of conditions it is automatically delegated to a planning officer to make a decision. The Highways Authority also had no objections to the application. It is unclear from the documents on the planning portal whether a site visit was carried out or whether the decision was made from a desk.
Efforts by BV Magazine to speak directly to the planning department were fruitless. A spokesperson from Somerset Council said: ‘This is an extremely complex application but it comes down to a matter of process. Requests for planning permission, or varying conditions for planning permission, are eligible to be called for discussion at a planning committee. Planning matters which relate specifically to the discharge of conditions are dealt with through delegated responsibility which means that an officer has delegated authority for decision-making and they are not called into a committee.’
The case has similarities to the Foxes Run development in Castle Cary, where planning has been refused mainly due to inadequate access to the site, and is also awaiting appeal. In this case, the developer Abri has submitted an application to have the Traffic Regulation Order removed and to work on alternative arrangements with Somerset Council. Naturally, local people are incensed.
How will pedestrians be kept safe?
As the A357 in the centre of Henstridge is narrow, various suggestions have been proposed over the years but assessed to be unworkable. Now, the new plan will see “pedestrians in the road” signs indicating there is no pavement for 350 yards placed in the affected area on the A357, a 20mph zone on the High Street, and traffic flow prioritisation signage.
Will that make pedestrians, horse riders and cyclists safer? Given that two large lorries cannot pass each other on the A357, the increase in building development in Henstridge and other parts of Somerset and Dorset will see some interesting encounters on the road.
A spokesperson from Barratt David Homes said: ‘We appreciate the community’s ongoing interest in the Henstridge development and are working closely with Somerset Council officers to move the project forward responsibly. The development will benefit the local area, with a strong focus on the safety and wellbeing of residents and road users.
‘By working with the council we aim to address concerns and improve local infrastructure to support the entire community.’
However, the entire case raises several issues. Firstly, while there is no doubt that additional affordable housing for local people is needed, the appropriate infrastructure is not in place. Parts of Somerset and Dorset now have roads that are no longer fit for purpose and need to be radically redesigned due to the larger volume of traffic that no green policy will resolve overnight.
Then there’s the decision-making process around planning developments, particularly where there have been significant and sustained objections relating to infrastructure. The Henstridge case raises questions about who really decides the future of our rural villages and communities. We should all be vigilant with the developments that impact infrastructure, and, in a democracy, local voices should be heard and heeded.
