Wentwood Drive Housing Appeal Upheld

Bleadon Resident
"My understanding of what the Inspector stated at the opening of the enquiry is that ANYONE present can speak - the only request being that this should not simply restate any of the Action Groups submissions in order to speed the enquiry along.
The more people who attend the better and each day the Inspector has asked if anyone wishes to speak."

NSC Councillor
" It’s VITAL that local residents don’t just attend. Although being there will show the Inspector the degree of local opposition (yesterday’s attendance [29/11/16] was very, very disappointing) IT IS VITAL THAT THEY HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY. Even if people have never spoken in public before, it is VITAL that the Inspector is made aware of local concerns and passions. If this Appeal is successful, that’s it. End of story. There won’t be an opportunity to have another bite of the cherry at a later date. Bleadon will be joined to Weston. End of !!"

I read through the Inspection Decision Report on the Wentwood Drive appeal and mentioned some of the comments to the North Somerset CPRE group- in particular the ones about it only being a short walk/cycle for residents to the convenience store and primary school etc.and that a 'great proportion' of residents would walk (despite this being on a very steep hill). A suggestion was made that before the appeal on the other site, the inspector should be asked to walk and cycle from the proposed site him/herself returning with a heavy bag of shopping. He/she should then make the same journey there and back using the local bus to enable him/her to fully experience what it will be like for new residents if they do not use a private car. A bus subsidy for only 3 years is only going to bring very short term benefits and will not be self-sustaining as stated. The S106 agreements are not well explained and do not appear to make this development 'sustainable' as cited e.g. the provision of primary school places and other youth facilities are acknowledged to be lacking already yet how this would be overcome is not addressed.
The second site poses far more of a traffic problem due to the narrow road access and lack of pavements; it is also further from services and beyond the manageable walking distance. Whilst the Wentwood Drive development might ''only'' add 50-100 cars this would be added to by any further development on Bleadon Hill. Pressures on local services would similarly be doubled. The two proposals should not just be considered in isolation.
If residents are not allowed to speak during the next hearing could they make comments before the meeting starts and/or submit further written objections immediately before the meeting starts?

Thanks for the update on the planning appeals

Although I am unable to attend the meeting for medical reasons, I am against the proposal to build 79 houses on Bleadon Hill, I have previously forwarded a letter outlining my concerns.

Hi Chris’ – and many thanks for ‘keeping us in the picture’.

I cannot say that I’m surprised, - sadly! I think that the ‘Protest Group’ concentrated on the ‘Visual Impact’ rather too much; - I’m much more concerned at the likely impact on the ‘Traffic’ situation, with the Cross Roads junction at the Main A 370. It can take three to five minutes to get out of there already, - heaven only knows how long it will take once all this lot is completed.

As I have strongly suggested, it will need, either Traffic Lights, or another Roundabout at that point or all the traffic ‘off the hill’ will resort to the Broadway / Winterstoke Rd. exit; - already ‘choked’ with existing ‘traffic’.

Yours ‘frustratedly’,

Thank You for your very welcome support with all that you are doing - very much appreciated.

Living directly on Bleadon hill we are just a couple of residence who are concerned about the proposed development on the hill. It was very disappointing to see the lack of support we are getting from Bleadon village. Considering the concerns about the speed of traffic using the village they don't appear to appreciate that should this further appeal be upheld the volume of traffic is going to increase dramatically. With an additional 79 houses proposed we could expect in excess of 100 more vehicles many of which will use the village.