CAMPAIGNERS fighting to save Shudrick Valley in Ilminster from development were given hope last week by the leader of South Somerset District Council.

Cllr Ric Pallister intimated at the end of a two-hour meeting at a packed Shrubbery Hotel last week that changes could be made at the 11th hour to look again at its preferred development area for Ilminster in the Local Plan.

He initially came out all guns blazing in defence of the council over its plans to earmark Shudrick Valley for a 332-home development instead of the originally proposed Canal Way.

“The council has already decided the plan – we’re not going to change it,” he said in the face of a hostile audience.

But the longer the meeting went on the more he seemed to change his mind, and began to encourage people to oppose the proposals with there having been an obvious lack of consultation over the change in preferred option from Canal Way to Shudrick Valley.

“We could make changes, but it would all have to go through the process again and my fear is it will delay the overall plan,” he said.

“Minor changes are easy to make, but this would be a major change.”

People have until August 10 to comment on the overall plan before it is sent off to the Planning Inspectorate for a final say.

Cllr Pallister said they could ask the inspector for an extension to look at the Ilminster issue again, but suggested it would be better to lobby the inspector with opposition.

“It could be that our decision is wrong and I admit that,” he said.

“If we’ve selected the wrong site the inspector might tell us to consider changing it.

“I would suggest that people get themselves marshalled, get some spokesmen and get some hard factual evidence together as to why you think we’ve made incorrect decisions. Keep away from emotive comments – keep to the facts.”

The district council’s original preferred option for development was Canal Way, but planning policy officer Jo Manley told people this was changed to Shudrick Valley after consultations with Ilminster Town Council and land owners, and investigations into transport, viability and landscaping studies.

“The two sites both had their merits, but looking at all this it was agreed with the town council that Shudrick was a better option,” she said.

It was that crucial change which people argued had not been done openly and had seen little consultation.