Questions for the Church Commissioners’ agents concerning development plans for land off Roughmoor Lane

By now all villagers should have received a leaflet notification from Lichfields, the consultancy acting for the Church Commissioners on their proposals for new housing in the field to the South of Roughmoor Lane. This consultation will run from 12 to 26 January with an on-line presentation and opportunity to ask questions and make suggestions in person on 20 January from 5pm. This will be on Zoom and a link will be made available. On the website, which should be live from 11 Jan, you will find a short questionnaire which they would like you to complete, but there is also space to include your own opinions. Those residents without internet access will be sent a hard copy of the information on the website, but because of the Church Commissioners’ interpretation of Covid restrictions the live consultation will be on Zoom only. All written comments will be taken into account, so do urge all your neighbours to write in. There is a postal address on the leaflet.
This consultation is being organised at the preplanning stage so it should influence what the Commissioners put forward for outline planning permission to the Mendip planners in February. This is your first chance to challenge and influence the plans so do take advantage. Your Parish Council, informed by all of you, will then have an opportunity to comment formally at this second stage. If outline planning permission is granted, the Commissioners will then sell on the site to a developer who will come back with more detailed plans which again will be subject to Parish and District comment. (Third stage) These may well be substantially different from the original proposals. So this is the first, but not the last opportunity to comment on the largest housing development proposal in Westbury for many years, if not ever.
The Parish Council wants to encourage a high level of engagement with this consultation throughout, but does not want to influence your responses in any way. To help you think about this, here are a series of questions which you may wish to consider when formulating your thoughts. And, of course, you will have your own questions too. Don’t hold back. Some people are asking for a village discussion meeting in the village hall. Please let us know if you would like us to organise this.
We would also be grateful if you would share your comments and opinions with your council so we can represent your views as fully as possible at each stage of the consultation.
• Are the number of houses suggested about right/too many/too few?
• What do you think about the proposed layout and street pattern?
• What mix of housing ( full market price ,affordable (85% of full price), social(for subsidised rent)) would you like to see?
• What size mix (1 to 5 bedroom) should there be?
• Do you have an opinion of how many storeys and what mix would be suitable – e.g. two storey, three storey, bungalows, apartments?
• What size gardens would be suitable- and for which houses?
• Is the car parking provision clear and adequate?
• What sort of materials and design standards would you want to see?
• Bearing in mind that Westbury is a dark skies village, what street lighting, if any, would be acceptable?
• Views from the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) are considered to be an important aspect of local conservation. What can be done to protect the view from above?
• Is there enough green space included in the plans?
• What other suggestions could you make to maintain the rural nature of the setting?
• Is the suggested community space in the right place?
• Is it the right size?
• Where else might you want to see it?
• What uses for this community space would be your priority?
• What do you think about the suggested change of road layout?
• What do you think of the suggested new foot and cycle paths and links?

Sue Isherwood
Chair Westbury-sub-Mendip Parish Council
01749 870457