Decision details

Mendip District Council proposes to allocate new housing sites adjacent to Midsomer Norton through their Local Plan Part 2 Proposed Main Modifications. This is to agree B&NES Council's consultation response.

The Cabinet member for Housing, Planning and Economic Development;

•  Agrees the B&NES Response to the Mendip Local Plan Part 2 (LPP2) Proposed Main Modifications.

•  Delegates authority to officers to submit the B&NES Response to Mendip District Council for the Mendip Local Plan Inspector’s consideration.

B&NES Council supported the submitted Mendip LPP2 which allocated sufficient housing sites to meet more than the Local Plan Part 1 strategic housing requirement and did not allocate any sites adjacent to Midsomer Norton. B&NES Council objects to the Main Modifications to allocate sites adjoining Midsomer Norton because it is unclear that this housing is required to meet Mendip’s needs; there are more sustainable locations within Mendip to meet their communities’ needs; and because there has been insufficient assessment of the impacts of allocation of sites adjoining Midsomer Norton, including in relation to the town’s infrastructure.

In addition, introducing such a significant change allocating an additional 450 dwellings adjacent to the B&NES boundary on the edge of Midsomer Norton at this late stage in the plan-making process fails to allow sufficient time to assess the impact on the local communities and the services & facilities and infrastructure of the town.

None.