Housing plan approved despite flooding fears

Plans for a major housing development in a Somerset town centre have been approved despite concerns about flooding and a lack of parking.

The proposals for a new 30-bed House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) on Friarn Street, Bridgwater, were approved by Somerset Council’s planning committee north despite objections from some councillors.

The committee handles major planning applications in the former Sedgemoor area.

Bridgwater Town Council leader Brian Smedley, who also represents Bridgwater South on Somerset Council, said: "This is exactly why it was a good day when Sedgemoor District Council disappeared – out-of-town councillors would constantly vote in favour of over-development in Bridgwater."

Smedley said building to such a degree on the site put residents at increased risk of flooding from nearby Durleigh Brook.

"Once again here’s something we don’t want in our town yet we’ve got to have it," he added.

Friarn Street has seen relatively high levels of interest from housing developments in recent years, with plans for 43 flats being approved in December 2021 and a proposal for a 16-bed HMO being approved in March 2024, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Councillor Kathy Pearce, whose Bridgwater South division includes the site, argued the plans would damage the "historic setting" of the neighbouring buildings and exacerbate existing car parking concerns.

She said: "I believe that this application exceeds the tipping point on this site into over-development, especially in terms of impact on highways.

"I also have significant concerns over the flood risk and believe the design does not respect the historical setting of the site."

Councillor Alastair Hendry (Highbridge and Burnham South) said the argument around parking did "not hold up".

Hendry said: "In an HMO like this, which is a stone’s throw from the town centre, you usually find that not everybody who lives there owns a car.

"Everybody always finds a parking bay somewhere," he added.

After about an hour’s debate, the committee voted to approve the plans by seven votes to three.

Follow BBC Somerset on Facebook and X. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.