AN action group who are fighting two housing plans on farmland in Chard said they are not confident their voice is being heard.

A Public Inquiry into an Appeal against South Somerset Council’s refusal of a David Wilson Homes planning application was held at the Guildhall on Thursday and Friday last week.

The company lodged the Appeal after its application to build 110 houses on farmland at Crimchard was rejected by the Area West Planning Committee last August.

Another public inquiry started yesterday (Tuesday) into rejected plans from Mactaggart & Mickel, who applied to build 350 houses plus land for Chard Town Football Club at the adjoining Mount Hindrance site.

That inquiry is also expected to see evidence from the five-year housing land supply in South Somerset discussed to cover both appeals, as it was not discussed at the previous public inquiry held in May.

It is expected to run for most of the week, also from the Guildhall.

Alan Quantrell, of the Mount Hindrance Action Group, said he feels both inquiries have been concentrating more on “semantics”

of both plans rather than issues which affect the town.

He added: “They should be looking at the roads people walk to and from the site and congestion, which are the real issues.

“The inspector said he will walk around the site this week but I find it incredible he hasn’t done that already beforehand so he knows what people are talking about.”

Mr Quantrell wanted to stress they are not opposed to development in Chard, as long as it is in the right place.

He said: “The Chard regeneration scheme and the Local Plan have yet to be finalised and we hope that is the way forward for Chard rather than this off-plan development in the wrong place – it is just not practical.”

The council received over 600 letters of objection to the Mactaggart & Mickel application and 400 letters of objection to the David Wilson Homes application.

The Mount Hindrance Action Group also handed in a petition signed by over 1,200 residents asking planners to reject any application from developers whose proposals run counter to the South Somerset Local Plan and the CRS.