CAMPAIGNERS against 330 new homes in Ilminster say there can be “no excuses” for local authorities not to throw out the proposals now that the Local Plan has been adopted.

The document, which was rubberstamped at last Thursday’s South Somerset District Council meeting, identifies the preferred direction of growth for Ilminster as Canal Way, rather than Shudrick Lane.

The district council received the Government-appointed Inspector’s report in January which concluded that the plan was ‘sound’ and could officially be adopted.

As well as establishing the muchdebated direction of growth for Ilminster, the document also sets out the level of growth anticipated for Chard and Crewkerne.

The Save Shudrick Valley Group is opposed to a planning application from CG Fry & Son which hopes to build more than 330 new homes to the east of the town.

Group spokesman Rob Drayton said: “The Save Shudrick Valley Group welcomes the adoption of the Local Plan by SSDC but we still have a battle to fight against the planning application.

“If that was to be agreed it would make a mockery of the whole Local Plan procedure and double the number of homes required for Ilminster in the plan up to 2028.

“That is what we are currently working on and we would expect that the district council would support that view.

“Now that the town council is fully aware of the Local Plan outcome, perhaps it will properly make a decision on the new planning application when submitted which, of course, in the best interests of the town and district should be to recommend refusal.

There can be no excuses this time.”

The Shudrick Lane planning application was set to be considered by the district council’s Area West committee last month but the developer requested the meeting be deferred so it could address a couple of objections.

David Lohfink, land and planning director at CG Fry & Son, told The News: “We are further reviewing the masterplan in the light of the only two outstanding objections from technical consultees.

“These are from English Heritage – a relatively minor objection relating to views from a pair of listed gatehouses – and the council’s landscape officer who has indicated that, in landscape terms, some development is acceptable but not to the extent that we are currently proposing.

“Once we have reviewed the masterplan, we will be in a position to decide how to proceed.”

At last Thursday’s meeting, the plan was overwhelmingly supported by 44 councillors with only five abstentions and none voting against.

On the adoption of the district’s Local Plan, deputy leader Cllr Tim Carroll, said: “This now marks the end of what has been a pretty lengthy process.

“From the outset, we were determined to deliver the Local Plan as a single document.

“Doing it this way gives far more certainty and clarity and adds to our ability to resist inappropriate and speculative planning applications.

“The adoption of this Local Plan is a significant achievement for South Somerset, especially when so many other plans across the country are failing to reach this stage.

“We have worked hard to overcome previous setbacks to satisfy the inspector that we now have a robust plan that can shape the future of the district.”