PLANS for a new 650-home development on the outskirts of Wincanton have been revealed in leaflets being distributed in the town.
Residents have been receiving the document, from land promotion firm LVA and seen by your New Blackmore Vale, asking for their views on the a “comprehensive, mixed-use neighbourhood” – named West Wincanton.
As well as hundreds of new homes, the document outlines proposals for a pre-school and primary school, a care home, a convenience store and cafe, as well as 2.3 hectares of “employment land”.
Two new access routes to the site would be created on to West Hill, with another to Lawrence Hill, the leaflet says.
“LVA are looking at the potential of land to the west of Wincanton to accommodate a new mixed-use neighbourhood and we would like to share our emerging ideas with the local community prior to submitting a planning application for the site,” it added.
A walk-in exhibition showcasing the plans is set to take place at Wincanton Memorial Hall between 2pm and 7pm on October 17.
A website – www.westwincanton.co.uk – is currently not live, but is set to be launched on October 6, until October 20, to garner views.
A drawing from the leaflet giving an indication of how the West Wincanton development could look. Picture: LVA
As well as developing homes, educational facilities and the “local centre”, the leaflet details what will be retained at the site.
“Retention of key habitats and vegetation where practicable and planting new trees to create a green/treed backdrop to the development,” it said.
“Retention of existing public footpaths and provision of new foot and cycle paths; a new high-quality, segregated cycle route adjacent to Lawrence Hill and contributions towards wider town walking and cycling network improvements.”
The document also touts an “integrated sustainable urban drainage system, including ponds”, as well as “new parklands, playgrounds, trim trail, community allotments, natural play and circular walks”.
Part of the site that would be developed under the proposals, off West Hill and Lawrence Hill in Wincanton. Picture: Google
It says the “highly energy-efficient homes” would feature on-plot energy generation from renewable sources, bringing “increased footfall and spending in the town”.
The homes would be made up of properties for families, as well as smaller homes for first-time buyers, with 35% proposed as affordable housing.
It’s if all that’s promised will it actually go ahead. Crocker Way still hasn’t been adapted 12 years later, so drainage problems are never fixed as no one technically owns it. Play parks, schools and a shop were promised and never happened.
The concern is, all this is promised to get it over the line and then plans change and no ‘woodland walk’ or care home.
How long has the current care home been in development with multiple developers going bust and leaving a half started site for nearly 8 years?
The bigger the town the more crime goes on. Its not just pre school, primary school they need to sort out secondary schools. KA is not big enough to cope with more children.
We urgently need a retail park for the area, bus services are-very poor and if you don’t drive you are restricted to just the local shops, or having to buy everything on line, a retail park will bring many more jobs to the area.
Yes we do need good affordable housing, but not just for those able to buy, social housing is also needed.
To back this up, schools for all age groups, a nursing home for the elderly, (the cales view is for young and older people with special needs, not a dedicated elderly nursing home) along with doctor’s surgery for the new influx of population, parks and play areas
There is no infrastructure here to warrant another development. However, more social housing is needed but that doesn’t appear on the plans
The plans show that around 140 social housing homes for local families will be included
We moved her 26 years ago. A lovely picturesque town now being surrounded by housing estates doesn’t add to its charm it devalues the area.
The town was busier then than now even though the population here has probably doubled.
600 odd more houses could mean an extra 1200 cars as often eachhousehold has 2…
We have a business park already but there still doesn’t seem that many jobs, Where are all these people going to work? It’s bad enough getting to see a doctor now.
They haven’t seen what effects on the town the new builds to the east of wincanton will have yet either. More traffic and people needing to find work locally as the cist of fuel and cars rocket!!
Infrastructure promises aside, the chief problem with this development is that it will increase the risk of flooding. At the moment the area alongside Macdonalds floods whenever it rains heavily (quite frequently these days). Building such a big development over a surface area of land that already drains a fair amount of water will cause no end of problems – not only to surrounding roads and roundabouts but to the industrial estate that will bear the brunt of the run-off. We need the drainage fixing locally as it is. Don’t make this worse.