A PLANNING application has been made to build 370 houses on land to the east of Lyngford Lane in Taunton.

Regardless of the merits of building this number of homes in close proximity to each other, I urge the Somerset West and Taunton Planning Committee to reject the application on the grounds that the developers intend that the only access to this large site should be a roundabout at the top of Lyngford Lane, where it joins Cheddon Road.

Cheddon Road and the adjoining Dorchester Road already struggle to cope with the traffic flow; the addition of over 300 cars using these roads to access the town and the main routes out of town would present a major risk to road safety and would cause considerable congestion, especially for emergency vehicles.

There would be an inevitable use of country lanes through Cheddon Fitzpaine as a route to the A3259 through Monkton Heathfield.

The proposal to close Lyngford Lane to through traffic would exacerbate this situation.

READ MORE: Plans for 347 new homes in Taunton

There is a solution. Nerrols Drive is a modern, wide road which links with main routes in and out of town.

The developers have said that using Nerrols Drive, which would be within about 100 metres of the new development, is not an option.

I therefore urge the planners to reject the planning application as it would have a totally negative effect on everyone who uses Cheddon Road, Dorchester Road and Lyngford Lane.

JOHN BAGLOW
Taunton