A PLANNING application has been submitted for up to 200 new homes in a Taunton village - despite residents' dismay. 

Gladman Land submit the application to Taunton Deane Borough Council for the new houses in a field off Langaller Road, Creech St Michael. 

This follows a public consultation which saw residents put their views to the developer. 

More than 250 signed a petition to prevent the building of the houses. 

Somerset County Gazette:

Some residents who oppose the plans. 

Lynn Gates, who started the petition, said: "Please, if you have not already done so, sign the petition and write or email TDBC objecting to this unwanted development.

"We do not have the infrastructure to support another 200 houses and the cars it will bring.

"Our schools and doctor's surgery are oversubscribed, we have just one shop. The local roads are narrow and already used as a rat run. Yet more houses, in addition to the 3,500 already planned for the Parish will add to the congestion already being experienced at Bathpool.

"This development, if it goes ahead, will dominate the landscape at the entry to the village and the surrounding houses which are at a lower level and mainly one-two storeys in character.

"It will also be built on land that has traditionally been used for recreation and is our last remaining barrier between the village of Creech and the motorway."

Tim Booth, planning director for Gladman Land, said: “We give careful consideration to the sites we choose, identifying sensible, sustainable locations for development in areas where councils cannot meet their full housing needs.

“We appreciate people who live within the vicinity of our proposals may have concerns, however these need to be balanced against the requirement to provide much needed homes.

“Councils have a duty to ensure sufficient housing can be delivered to meet the needs of their population in a five-year rolling period. Presently we believe that Taunton Deane cannot meet this requirement. As a consequence the Creech St Michael site could be granted permission and could quickly deliver new homes."

Residents have until November 10 to have their say on the plans. 

Visit the Taunton Deane planning site and search number 14/17/0033.