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Save the Blackdown Vale

687 Comments

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Caroline White Verified
1 month ago

The area is defined as an Area Of Outstanding Natural Beauty and prime farmland. It contains a handful of tiny hamlets that simply cannot cope with development of this scale. It is not needed and Taunton, Wellington, Bridgwater and Highbridge have experienced an explosion of new build development on greenfield land in the past 10yrs. There is no need to expand further, let alone on prime greenfield land with high biodiversity. The rivers and streams cannot cope with more phosphates.

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Mountstephens Brian Verified
1 month ago

Have lived here all my life, it would be an absolute tragedy on all levels if this was to happen.

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Nick Fry Verified
1 month ago

what are we gonna eat ? yet more grade 1 arable land covered in gerry built rubbish

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Linda Hamilton Verified
1 month ago

The infrastructure of Taunton is already under too much pressure and building on prime farmland is just ridiculous. We need to save our farmland because in the future we will need it all for food production.

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Jeremy Bowerman Verified
1 month ago

This development is not needed, will be built on prime agricultural land, not only that it’s a very scenic part of Somerset . Somerset council have already allocated sufficient land to cover building around Taunton for the next 20 yrs. Taylor Wimpey paid £12.5 million for approx’ 1100 acres should planning be given. There could be an uptake value depending on how much building is undertaken of £480 million just on value aloan. Let M5 remain the Eastern boundary for Development for Taunton

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Nicola Gibbard Verified
1 month ago

Please no more building around taunton and wellington.its full .the land is productiveve agricultural land and areas of outstanding beauty . This part of dometset is full the m5 can't vope either the amount of traffic and our reservoirs and sewage treatment works cant cope with the demand

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T E Verified
1 month ago

Somerset NEEDS ALL of its Green Space! It is VITAL to keep what little we have left. Leaving it as Green Space will NOT affect our growth in the future but will help to secure it.

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Kay Verified
1 month ago

Encroaching on aonb, hideous sprawl of housing estate likely unaffordable and poorly designed homes.

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Chris Luck Verified
1 month ago

Somerset's special rural character and the Blackdowns in particular are truly one of the most important things in my life. I think that many people's mental well- being rests on these non commercial public amenities.

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Neil Bailey Verified
1 month ago

There has been no indepth analysis as to why this development is needed; where are the new jobs to support this massive increase in population? Where is the infrastructure upgrades to accommodate 15k people? What new roads will be built to accommodate the traffic flows? Many more questions like this. We need far more justification for this proposed development.

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David Orr Verified
1 month ago

The beautiful Blackdown Vale abuts the Blackdown Hills National Landscape (AONB). Somerset Council should conduct a Strategic Landscape Visual Impact Assessment now and rule this sensitive landscape from large-scale development.

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Susan Withers Verified
1 month ago

I object to this proposal due to the permanent loss of high-quality agricultural land for long-term food security. Local water resources are under significant strain, and adding a large new population without adequate infrastructure would be unsustainable. The land was purchased for agricultural use, and large-scale development on sites is difficult to justify given strict controls on productive farmland. This proposal prioritises commercial gain over community interests.

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Tony Mather Verified
1 month ago

If this is allowed then every AONB is in danger.

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Tracy Clist Verified
1 month ago

Too many new houses in Taunton already not selling. We do not need more. There is no town for thousands more people. Taunton town centre can not cope. There are no shops!

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Fiona Phur Verified
1 month ago

This is a monstrous idea. The absolute beauty of this countryside must be preserved.

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Paul Scotcher Verified
1 month ago

I believe that this will have a detrimental affect on all families future. Taking away farming land and taking away natural habitats. The people in these areas that will be swamped with the new town must be beside themselves with the prospect of losing their rural area. This is disgraceful behavior by the government.

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Jacqui Ritchie Verified
1 month ago

This housing is not needed or wanted at all. It will take valuable farm land pushing wildlife out of its natural habitat. Enough is enough and we dont need more. The hospital can already not cope, surgeries, schools, roads, everything is impacted and not necessary.

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Supporter Verified
1 month ago

Too large and too close to Areas of Natural Beauty. This will destroy the countryside.

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TRACEY ELLIS Verified
1 month ago

This is farmland and should be kept as such. There are brownfield sites around that should be utilised before destroying productive farmland. It also incorporates ancient woodlands and will destroy the wildlife in it. There is also no infrastructure such as water which we are constantly being told there is a shortage of, and sewage works which are antiquated now and would not be able to cope with the influx of people

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Steven Budd Verified
1 month ago

I entirely support the objections raised by'Save the Blackdown Vale'.