Some Views Questioning the Need for an Urban Extension

  • Yeovil would be too big for its environment and would impact on sensitive rural areas.
  • Strong potential for severe impact on highways, public transport and town infrastructure, increasing congestion and pollution. Geography of town means cycling and walking would not be preferred option for travel.
  • Focus infrastructure funding to regenerate areas of social deprivation in Yeovil. Previous developments in Yeovil show new estates have failed to have much impact in regenerating deprived areas as funding used for new estates.
  • Re-consider a stand alone settlement Eco Town instead of an urban extension – SSDC should use 3,700 homes designated for urban extension as part of overall housing numbers to create a viable stand alone settlement. Core Strategy Paragraph 4.4.5
  • SSDC Core Strategy treats Yeovil and the rest of the district as two separate entities – 16,600 homes should be considered as a whole not as 8,200 (Yeovil) and 8,400 (Remainder of District).
  • For its size and location Yeovil is taking too high a percentage of development – reduce to 35% and increase key sites density to Eco Standard (50+ dwelling per hectare) would minimise greenfield destruction. Increase development in rural centres and settlements in a balanced sustainable way to achieve 30% of total using exceptions and windfall projections as allowed in exceptional circumstances in Planning Policy Statement 3. It’s exceptional as the alternative is to severely impact Yeovil rural edge and its communities.
  • Urban extension does not conform to other parts of the Core Strategy regarding needs based development in rural settlements. It also doesn’t take adequate account of Planning Policy Statements, Planning Policy Guidance regarding sustainable rural communities. Particularly for East Coker it doesn’t take account of SCC/Exmoor Joint Structure Plan or East Coker Parish Plan.
  • Respected bodies have doubts (Rural Challenge and TCPA) on some Urban Extensions due to impact on edge of towns, urban sprawl, inner centre areas disenfranchised, does not support improved sustainability in rural settlement, failing to attract and keep young families in the villages.