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Alister Smith PGDip MRICS, Head of Stags Planning Services, outlines the opportunity that has arisen in Somerset where small residential sites should be looked more favourably upon by a planning authority.
Many people with property in Somerset will be aware of the issue of potential increased phosphate runoff from development impacting on the Somerset Levels and the impact this has had on new consents for development being issued.
In particular, this has strongly impacted housing developments, with consents for many thousands of houses being held up until a solution can be found. A consequence of this, shared by Somerset West and Taunton, South Somerset and Mendip local planning authorities, is that they are now unable to show a sufficient supply of sites to meet housing need over the next five years. In such cases, a planning authority should look more favourably on housing development, even those that they might not have otherwise supported.
One may assume that this is all of little use due to housing development in these areas still being prevented due to the phosphate issue. This is of course true; however, the same authorities have recently announced that, where foul water discharge will be less than two cubic meters per day and disposal is via a package treatment plant draining to a soakaway, such schemes will be treated a ‘nutrient neutral’ and allowed to proceed.
On this basis, if you have land with potential for a small site for no more than two or three houses (foul water flow is dwelling size dependent) in or adjacent to a rural village or other settlement that could discharge to a non-mains drainage system, then now could be an excellent opportunity to present it to the Council. Even sites which have not found favour before will have better prospects while the shortage of housing land continues. Please contact Stags Planning department if you would like to know more on 01392 439046 or via planning@stags.co.uk
