Yeovil's very own North and South war looms

BATTLE lines have been drawn in what could become Yeovil’s very own North and South war over future housing development plans for the town.

There was standing room only last night (Tuesday, November 12, 2013) at a public meeting at the Yeovil Sports and Social Club at Johnson Park where councillors and homeowners spoke of their fears about more housing in the north of the town.

It comes following news that South Somerset District Council has put forward amendments to its Local Plan – which will govern future housing in the district up to 2028 – and has included the Upper Mudford area as earmarked for development.

Originally 2,500 houses were proposed to be built in East Coker to the south of Yeovil, but a substantial campaign from people in that area has forced the council to make a re-think.

The council’s District Executive agreed last week to reduce the East Coker housing allocation to 800 and has now included the Mudford site in its plans for 765 homes. These proposals will now go forward to the full council for ratification and then out to public consultation.

The move has angered the parish councils of Brympton, Chilthorne Domer, Mudford, Tintinull and Yeovil Without who are fed-up with large scale housing in the north of the town.

It was said at last night’s meeting that since 1975 there have been around 7,000 homes built in the north at Abbey Manor, Lufton, Alvington, Houndstone, Brimsmore, Great Lyde and Wyndham Park – in comparison to just 35 in East Coker.

And the message from last night’s meeting was simple – enough is enough, no more housing in the north.

Lack of medical and education facilities, concerns over employment opportunities, inadequate road provision, flooding fears – the list was endless last night from people worried that more housing is coming their way.

People have already said that they will deluge the district council with objections when the proposals go out for public consultation between November 28, 2013, to January 10, 2014.

But they know that people in East Coker will take up the fight once again as well in their bid to ensure that the amended plan for their area does not see the number of homes increase again.

Last night’s public meeting was chaired by Somerset County Council’s Cllr Jane Lock, who represents the Yeovil Withouth area at County Hall, and led by Mudford Parish Council chairman Cllr Yvonne Rowlands, Brympton Parish Council chairman Cllr Liz Glaisher and vice-chairman Cllr Roger Meecham and Yeovil Without Parish Council chairman Cllr Maurice Lamb.

Cllrs Dave Greene, Graham Oakes and Jon Gleeson, of South Somerset District Council, all spoke at the meeting in which they urged people to take up the campaign to protect their area.

“You have to stand up and be counted,” said Cllr Greene. “You have to hit the council with your arguments. You have got to give us (the district councillors) the ammunition to fight for you.”

Cllr Oakes added: “If you say nothing you will wake up with something you don’t want.

“You must write, email, send it by carrier pigeon, but if you don’t tell the council the developers will get what they want.”

Cllr Gleeson urged as many people as possible to get involved with the campaign in what he described as a “mass movement.”

The full meeting of South Somerset District Council will take place at its Brympton Way headquarters in Yeovil on Thursday, November 21, where it is expected the amended Local Plan will be supported by the majority of councillors.

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