CHARD residents have blasted plans for a development of 72 homes due its ‘dangerous’ access which they say is an ‘accident waiting to happen’.

Objectors to the development in Crewkerne Road also point to the potential over-development of Chard and the strain it would put on schools and services.

C.G. Fry and Son submitted the blueprint for the homes, which states the development is ‘in line with the Chard Regeneration Plan’, in October.

It is planned that 15 of the homes would be ‘affordable’ and six would be flats.

The town council has backed the plans but the proposed access off the A30, which includes a central refuge island for pedestrians to cross, has raised concerns among some local residents.

In a letter of objection to South Somerset District Council, Mrs E.

Spear said: “The A30 is a very busy trunk road and although there is a 30mph speed limit, the traffic rarely slows down.

“Visibility is poor and it will be an unsafe access.

“Large lorries frequent this road and the proposed island in the middle is inadequate and unsafe, given the number of pedestrians that would have to cross.

“This would include children going to school, disabled people and parents with toddlers and pushchairs – it is an accident waiting to happen.

“No additional facilities are proposed and the schools, surgeries and dental practices are already overcrowded.”

Similar points were made in a letter from K.R. Edwards, of Oaklands, who said: “Seeing this application rather surprised me, when you look around the Chard area and there is building going on everywhere.

“I therefore am wondering why we need more housing. I cannot see how Chard will cope with what will be a burden on our roads. It is a concern that 72 dwellings be allowed noting that there would be very heavy and dangerous amount of traffic on Crewkerne Road when we have a problem already in the area.

“Also, it should be noted that we have only one senior school, Holyrood Academy, which would bear the brunt of over-populating Chard.”

Chard Town Council has recommended the plans for approval but also stated some concerns over the amount of traffic on the A30 and planned to monitor the number of vehicles.

In the council’s submission to the district council’s planning office, the town clerk said: “The members recognised that the town’s transport infrastructure is vital to the future growth of Chard but that their preference would be that in time only one junction and one roundabout would be situated on Crewkerne Road.

“The members expressed concerns regarding highways issues, particularly with the speed and volume of traffic along Crewkerne Road. The town council will request that a speed indicator device is installed to gather information on actual speeds and also to ask what, if any, traffic calming measures could be installed to mitigate further risk.

“It was noted that the development will allow for some section 106 contributions from SSDC but the question is to be raised – ‘at what point will the new developments trigger the need for a new primary school in Chard?”

Andrew Gunn, the district council’s planning case officer, told the News he hoped the application would be put before a committee for a decision in the next couple of months.

He said: “This is a site that we want to come forward in principle as it is in the Chard Plan, but as with any site, we have to be satisfied with the details.

“There are still some discussions to be had over some highways concerns and Section 106 contributions but hopefully those can be resolved and it can be brought before the committee very soon.”