TOWN councillors will decide on Monday (October 5) if and how they want to respond to changes proposed by a developer to plans which were rejected for 250 houses on farmland to the south of Wellington Relief Road.

Pegasus Group has said it will appeal to the Government’s Planning Inspectorate against Somerset Council’s refusal of permission to develop 34 acres of fields on the Wellington Monument side of the A38.

It has until October 30 to do so, and last week launched an online consultation on changes it said it would make to the plans, asking people to respond by a week before the appeal deadline.

The town council has been reviewing the Pegasus changes and a draft response letter will be put to councillors at their monthly meeting in the United Reformed Church Hall on Monday evening.

Councillors are being recommended to continue to oppose the proposed development, which would be the first time the A38 boundary had been breached, causing fears that the entire southern side of the relief road would then become available for housing schemes.

If they want to respond to the Pegasus consultation, councillors are being advised say they note the extra information provided by Pegasus relating to flood risk and drainage, highway design, pedestrian and cycle connectivity, and the firm’s amendments to its illustrative masterplan, as well as additional technical work which has been carried out.

However, they are advised to say the amendments do not materially alter the planning balance or address the principal concerns which led to refusal of the application.

The draft also says information on further flood risk, drainage, and highway information related principally to technical matters and did not address wider strategic concerns about the suitability of the site for development.

Residents arriving for a Wellington Town Council meeting to discuss a Pegasus Group planning application.
A packed meeting in January this year of Wellington Town Council when councillors made clear their strong opposition to a Pegasus Group planning application. (Tindle News)

It is suggested councillors say: “The council remains concerned that the site is separated from the town by the A38 relief road and the development would not represent a natural or sustainable extension of Wellington.

“In particular, the proposed changes do not alter:

• The location of the development in open countryside south of the A38 Wellington relief road

• The scale of development proposed

• The extent of encroachment into the countryside

• The separation of the site from the existing community of Wellington

• The impact of the development on the landscape setting of the town and the wider area

“The council remains concerned the proposal would result in significant harm to landscape character and would erode the clear distinction between Wellington and the surrounding countryside.

“Furthermore, the amendments do not appear to address concerns relating to the setting of the Blackdown Hills National Landscape or the impact of the development upon the rural setting of important heritage assets, including Wellington Monument.

“The council also notes the revised proposals continue to rely upon shared pedestrian and cycle facilities.

“Current national guidance indicates separation of pedestrians and cyclists should generally be preferred and that shared-use routes should be avoided wherever practicable.

“The consultation material does not clearly demonstrate why segregated facilities cannot be provided in this location.

“Accordingly, Wellington Town Council is of the view that the amendments do not address the fundamental issues identified by Somerset Council when refusing the application and therefore maintains its objection to the proposed development.”

Protect Wellington, a campaign group set up to oppose the Pegasus plans, has said it will work with the town council to fight the appeal.