Response to TDBC LDF Feb 2010

RESPONSE OF WEST MONKTON PARISH COUNCIL TO LDF CORE STRATEGY AND SMALL SITES CONSULTATION
WMPC position
West Monkton Parish Council is totally opposed to the 4000 houses allocated by the RSS to the Parish of West Monkton. As clearly stated in the Parish Council’s response to the RSS in 2005, the then 3000 houses represented the destruction of the existing character of the Parish. Since then the RSS has been re-examined and the number of houses for the Parish increased from 3000 to 4000. The Parish Council does not see that there has been any acknowledgement or recognition of the objections made in 2005, and sees no reason to change its position. The Parish Council believes that whilst the 1000 houses identified in the Local Plan could be integrated into the village and community spirit retained, it would be unrealistic to add an extra 4000; the effect of this would more than double the population and inevitably destroy the very nature of what attracts people to live in this community at present. This Parish Council believes that the majority of the 4000 house residents will not see themselves as part of a rural community, but suburban residents of Taunton. The sheer scale of the proposed development predicates the death of the community of Monkton Heathfield, and this is acknowledged on page 251 of the ‘Core Strategy and Small Sites Consultation’ document, which states. ‘The scale of the development in the area will create a settlement around the size of Wellington’.

Infrastructure
The Parish currently has congestion difficulties due to the volume of traffic on the A38 and the A3259, especially at peak times. Inevitably vehicle drivers try to avoid the congested areas and this has resulted in the use of the lanes in the Parish as rat runs. This practice has impacted on those who would seek to walk their children to school. Despite repeated requests the Parish has been denied any improvements to the Safe Routes to School, or the provision of a pedestrian crossing on the A3259, or installation of a pavement at Monkton Elm with the comment that such improvements will take place when the Local Plan development of 1000 houses takes place and the relief road is built. The Parish Council believes that the ‘relief’ road is a misnomer because, with the traffic calming of the A3259, traffic which is presently divided at Monkton Elms will continue on the new ‘relief’ road to a location closer to the already over capacity Creech Castle junction, before it splits north and south. At peak times traffic already backs up to the location of this proposed new roundabout.
Concerns raised about traffic flow, with or without the proposed ‘relief’ road, have been consistently denied with the assurance that the computer model (Saturn) says it will work; which is of course dependent on the numbers inputted.
The Parish Council is not reassured by the statement on p 250 of the ‘Core Strategy and Small Sites Consultation’ that ‘improvements to movement and accessibility along the A38 corridor within and to the site would include Safe Routes to School, pedestrian and cycle networks, enhanced public transport provision and a reduction in rat-running within the surrounding area’. The authorities have failed to rectify any of the problems in this Parish so far – look at the chaos on School Road cul de sac every day associated with the transport requirements of a large secondary school and a primary school. Opportunity in the Local Plan to make any use of the permissive footpath across Path Field to the A38 to solve the problem (a single carriage one way and/or with passing places was suggested) was disregarded, so the Parish Council has very little confidence that the LDF will deliver anything but more congestion and danger to pedestrians and cyclists.
Contrary to the aspirations of the government and the LDF to ‘enhance the public transport corridor between Taunton and Bridgwater’ (page 250 Core Strategy and Small Sites Consultation), the Parish Council believes that 4000 houses will result in close to 4000 more cars on the road. The Parish Council regularly hears reports of buses failing to arrive, failing to stop, high cost and generally a low level of service, which will not encourage residents to reject their vehicles in favour of public transport.
It is absolutely crucial that adequate infrastructure is put in place first. The proposed Creech Castle junction improvement for circa 2016 by the installation of the Creech Castle flyover will only succeed in moving traffic faster to M5 junction 25 or the Obridge roundabout, neither of which, according to information received, are of the required capacity.

Employment land
The LDF document does not provide sufficient information to satisfy the concerns of the Parish Council that employment will be attracted to the area by provision of suitable employment sites. Page 140 of the Core Strategy and Small Sites Consultation Document acknowledges the shortfalls. TDBC’s past history of encouraging a prosperous mix of production and high value employers to the area is not great. Many developers and employers over the years have been unable to find suitable employment sites within the District. The District has had for years a number of inappropriate, inaccessible small and medium sites, often quoted; the result of which has been development up or down the M5 from Taunton.
The strategic employment site at Cambria Farm offers a great opportunity to develop an area of local employment and a residential area, the relocation of some of the 4000 houses from Monkton Heathfield, most obviously the 600 currently designated to the green wedge area west of Greenway. A residential development could add to the infrastructure gains in the area maybe even coinciding with the improvements to M5 junction 25. This idea has significant public support from residents of the Parish of West Monkton.

Green wedge
The Parish Council strongly resists the proposed incursions into the green wedges in Taunton. West Monkton Parish Council believes that the 600 houses proposed for the west of Greenway represent one such incursion of the green wedge, threatening the continuity of wildlife and in particular the bat corridors, and are at odds with the existing Local Plan. The green wedge should run uninterrupted from the River Tone to the Quantocks AONB. The 600 houses would affect the local bat habitat and would have a visual impact.
There is also an additional threat to the green wedge at Maidenbrook by a developer’s proposals for 233 houses and a pub which has been strongly resisted by the Parish Council. (See comments to TDBC Planning Officer 11th February 2010).
Run off of rainwater from any development to the west of Greenway would drain into Allens Brook which will in turn would threaten the already fragile situation at Bathpool, which has a history of flooding.

Recommendation
Paul Murrain’s inspired delivery to TDBC, SCC planners and others in July 2009 at the conference ‘Design Leadership for Taunton Deane’ about the Sherford (South Hams/Plymouth) project totally rejects the isolation of settlements by relief roads, yet in the LDF document it is precisely that which is flagged up as a means of reducing through traffic within the existing and Local Plan Allocations. It is difficult to believe that the decision to turn the Parish of West Monkton into a settlement the size of Wellington could be dealt with so unimaginatively as it appears to be in the Core Strategy and Small Sites Consultation. Such a forecast represents a threat when it could represent a great opportunity. The threat is that another characterless stretch of dormitory suburb will be built, isolated by a relief/ring road; the opportunity could be that the planners would take inspiration from Paul Murrain’s acclaimed work in the Sherford development of 5000 houses outside Plymouth and design a new and separate settlement full of life and character.
As stated in our response to the RSS in 2005, and as shown in the proposals in this LDF, the motorway is clearly not an impenetrable barrier to development. Such unnecessary restriction limits the ability of the planners to imaginatively fulfil the government requirements for 18000 houses in this area. The location of the Park and Ride at Cambria Farm further opens the door for enlightened development. TDBC has accepted the strategic employment site proposals at Cambria, and the Parish Council believes that the infrastructure could accommodate a residential development currently scheduled to be built on green wedge land west of Greenway. The junction off the motorway at junction 25 is already at saturation point which reinforces the need to build a proportion of the 4000 houses south of the motorway. Houses could be built round the Henlade by-pass and it could be that s106 agreements could fund improvements there and to junction 25.
Additionally, this will reduce the linear development of Monkton Heathfield and allow Taunton to develop in the round.

Conclusion
The Core Strategy and Small Sites Consultation document on page 250 states that ‘a comprehensive masterplan for the overall development and detailed issues for the development of this site will be prepared as a Supplementary Planning Document (SPD)’. It would be gratifying if this document showed how the above comments had been considered and taken into account. Otherwise it is very difficult to see how the public could have any confidence in the consultation process delivered by TDBC.
The Parish Council has stated its position. The Parish Council hopes and expects that further co-operation will be possible. The Community Engagement Panel, (set up by the Parish Council with support from the then Principal Planning Officer to assist in the best possible delivery of the Local Plan, 1000 homes), was very constructive, working with architects, CABE, developers and others, and achieved improvements. This Panel is still in existence and the Parish Council hopes that it will be given the opportunity to benefit the Community in the future.

WMPC
Feb 2010