610 of the 616 comments on plans for up to 400 homes at Tower Farm, beside Weston Big Wood, are objections. Natural England has objected too.
A plan for up to 400 homes at Tower Farm in Portishead has drawn 228 objections and one letter of support. The farm sits on Tower Road, beside the ancient woodland of Weston Big Wood.
Updated 12 November: the register now shows 616 comments, 610 of them objections and 4 in support. Natural England and the council’s own flood team have both objected, and the application will go to the Planning and Regulatory Committee. Our follow-up report has the detail.
The figures come from the council’s planning register, which we read on Tuesday 27 October (North Somerset Council, application 26/P/1618/OUT). The council has consulted 451 neighbours and organisations so far.
What is being proposed
The application is in outline. It asks for permission in principle and for the way into the site, and leaves the detail for later. According to the council’s register, it covers:
- up to 400 homes
- demolition of the existing farm buildings
- open space, drainage and landscaping
- land for possible improvements to High Down Junior and Infant School
- the access points into the site and associated highway works
Appearance, layout, landscaping and scale are reserved for a later application. So no house designs or street plans are up for decision yet.
The applicant is Parker Strategic Land Ltd, with Ridge and Partners LLP of Cheltenham as its agent. The site is in the Portishead West ward.
The key dates
| Stage | Date |
|---|---|
| Application received | Wednesday 5 August |
| Validated by the council | Thursday 1 October |
| Consultation deadline on the register | Wednesday 11 November |
| Target date for a decision | Thursday 31 December |
The register shows no decision and no committee date yet.
Why the wood matters
Weston Big Wood is a nature reserve owned by Avon Wildlife Trust. The trust describes it as “a wildlife-rich ancient woodland” and it is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (Avon Wildlife Trust). Its residents include nuthatch, treecreeper, tawny owl and silver-washed fritillary butterflies, with bluebells and wood anemones in spring.
The reserve is entered from Valley Road, on the Weston-in-Gordano side.
The campaign against it
A petition called Save Weston Big Wood from development says it gathered 10,722 signatures online and 417 on paper (Save Weston Big Wood, campaign update of 9 October).
The campaigners also say Tower Farm is proposed for housing in the council’s draft Local Plan, which is being examined by government inspectors. They say a hearing covering the site is due on Tuesday 8 December. We have not yet found that hearing in the council’s own published programme, so treat the date as the campaign’s.
The campaign itself points out that a petition is not a planning objection. Only comments made on the application count.
What it means for you
If you live in Portishead and want a say, comment on the application itself. The council decides on planning grounds, not on the number of letters.
- Online: search for 26/P/1618/OUT on the council’s planning site, open the Comments tab and choose Make a Comment.
- By post: write to Planning, 2 West Post Point, North Somerset Council, Town Hall, Weston-super-Mare BS23 1UJ, quoting the reference.
- Timing: the register gave 11 November as the consultation deadline, which has now passed.
Portishead Town Council ran two drop-in sessions to help residents comment, on 3 and 5 November (details).
The campaign says emailed comments are not counted. Comments can support a scheme as well as oppose it.
For other big applications across the district, see our North Somerset planning news page.
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