Taylor Wimpey Housing Proposals


Rodney Road Field Proposal 2020

Rodney Road Field Proposal Update – December 2020

Comments on this application closed on September 9th, with 324 comments against the proposal. A decision has yet to be made by North Somerset Council (NSC). Its Highways Departmentt has produced a report which criticised some aspects of the access, and is shown as a document dated October 12th. Taylor Wimpey (TW) has responded to this with 3 diagrams of a revised access posted as documents on the NSC website on 23rd November. Two features of this are to make the slip road (on the left travelling from the shops) one way only, and to create a pavement on the island alongside Rodney Road. The island slopes quite steeply near here and works would be very close to the roots of the blossom tree with the Tree Preservation Order, and could compromise its future. In view of the original strength of opposition from residents, BRA has consulted transport specialists to give a view on the impact of these new documents and the report can be found here – Rodney Road Field LvW Highways Dec 2020

Nothing in the revised proposals changes our view that the access is too tight to enable pedestrians to be safe. It is debatable whether the changes proposed are both feasible and an improvement on the original.

Points of concern are:

  • The pedestrian routes around the Scout Hut area are inadequate and potentially hazardous.
  • Many vehicles will leave the estate going towards the shops. This will require a sharp right turn to get onto Rodney Road near the bend.
  • The possible danger to the protected blossom tree.
  • There will be intrusive signage in this small area. It will need at least 4 No Entry / One-way signs and posts, all illuminated. Parking restrictions around the area will need to be introduced, inconveniencing local residents, to enable through traffic including refuse and emergency vehicles.
  • The latest proposals by TW of course do nothing to change our view that the roads leading into the site (Rodney Road, Moorfield Road, Embercourt Drive, Westfield Road etc) would struggle to cope with the extra traffic from another 65 dwellings.

People have a right to respond to the TW revision using the “make a comment” button on the link below, even though the original deadline has passed.

20/P/1847/OUT | Outline application for residential development of up to 65 dwellings with matters of access for approval and all other matters of appearance, scale, layout and landscaping reserved for subsequent approval | Land West Of Rodney Road Backwell (n-somerset.gov.uk)

We believe brief comments from residents dismissing the revisions and confirming opposition to the development would be a benefit when NSC considers its decision in the New Year.


Rodney Road Field Proposal Update – September 2020

Please see below BRA’s response to North Somerset Council in relation to the Rodney Road Field planning application

BRA Letter to North Somerset Council 24th September 2020 – Rodney Road Field

and the supporting Traffic Review that was commissioned by BRA

Rodney Road Field Report 23rd September 2020


Rodney Road Field Proposal – August 2020

Taylor Wimpey (TW) consulted on this project last November, and we were also able to discuss it at our AGM last February. An Outline Application (NSC reference 20/P/1847/OUT) has been posted on the North Somerset Council (NSC) website, (expired Wednesday 9th September). 

Details can be found on:

https://planning.n-somerset.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=dates&keyVal=QELJ7RLPGK700

This page gives the link to 45 documents, of which 3 are key to a general understanding.

Illustrative Master Plan

This single page gives the site location in relation to West Leigh Infant School and the Playing Fields, with the access from Rodney Road. It also gives a possible layout for the development.

Design and Access Statement

This has 26 pages, giving a summary of the main points such as access, drainage, landscape etc. One of the concluding paragraphs is:

“The document demonstrates that the proposal is a sustainable and modest extension to Backwell, with the landscape, ecology, movement, drainage and place-making strategies being considered as key sustainability components.”

Transport Statement

This has 52 pages. The conclusions near the end of the report are:

 8.5.2

“The transport impact of the proposed development on the local road network during peak times is considered to be negligible. It is acknowledged that Rodney Road experiences peaks in traffic demand and on street parking for short periods of times across the day due to traffic activity associated with the school and the Playing Fields.”

 8.5.3

“In conclusion and based on the findings of this report, it is considered that the residual cumulative impacts on the road network would not be severe. There are no valid highway or transportation reasons that should prevent the development proposals from being granted planning consent.”

 BRA Response

 Despite the claims above, BRA considers that the application should be rejected for the following reasons:

  1. The narrow (and only) vehicular approach to the site in front of the Scout Hut is too small for the traffic from 65 houses.
  2. There are no adequate routes into the site from any direction. The main route, using Rodney Road, is already busy for most of the day.
  3. The field was not identified for housing in our current Neighbourhood Plan
  4. The field is outside the settlement boundary for Backwell.

Grove Farm Proposal 2016

Taylor Wimpey are proposing a development of 700 houses in Backwell.

The site is located adjacent to the existing limits of the settlement of Backwell and extends to approximately 53.4 hectares of land. It is situated to the south of Moor Lane, north of Chelvey Road and West Town Road and to the west of Backwell itself.

Please see the link below to review the information about the proposal which was published in January 2016.

Grove_Farm_Issue_and_Options_Promotion_v1 (4)

This is only an outline proposal from the developer at this stage. No planning application has been submitted for which comments can be made to North Somerset Council. BRA will alert members if and when this stage is reached.

Taylor Wimpey held an exhibition at Backwell Parish Hall on the 9th November showing the proposed development. The slides from the exhibition can be found on the following link Taylor Wimpey Grove Farm Proposal