Traffic fears spark Woolavington surgery protest

5:00pm Wednesday 24th October 2012 in News

Protesters on Saturday Protesters on Saturday

DEMONSTRATORS angry a surgery could be built at the ‘wrong end’ of their village took to the streets in protest.

As reported in the Mercury, two major planning applications have been lodged for Woolavington.

BAE Systems and Edington Surgery are working jointly on a bid for 60 homes and a surgery off Crocker’s Hill, north-west of the village, while PM Asset Management wants to build 120 homes and a surgery further south, on land south of Sedgemoor Way.

Members of the 60-strong Woolavington Neighbourhood Forum, who oppose the Crocker’s Hill scheme, made their feelings plain with banners and posters during the weekend protest.

Lucy New, the Forum’s spokesman, said: “We need a new surgery, definitely, but we want it in the right place.

“There are a lot of highways issues with the Crocker’s Hill scheme.

“It would mean a lot of traffic coming through the village and it would cross traffic running by the school.”

Avril Baker Consultancy, which is representing BAE and Edington Surgery, said their scheme was consistent with the Woolavington Parish Plan and was supported by the parish council.

A spokesman said local authorities agreed there was an “urgent need for this development and we are confident that it will bring much needed community benefits to the villages of Woolavington and Puriton.”

Comments(9)

Baldbloke says...
11:16pm Wed 24 Oct 12

So where is the "right place" for the proposed surgery?

"A lot of highways issues..."

"A lot of traffic coming through the village..."

A lot of opinion, but not a lot of facts and stats to back up the statements.

A clear case of NIMBYism in my opinion...

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established says...
11:46am Thu 25 Oct 12

How can people object to a doctors' surgery and new housing?

I bet they all live in nice houses and can probably afford private health care.

I agree absolute NIMBYism!

Not much of demonstration either, I can only make out 25 people. Those people with common sense probably stayed at home and watched Saturday Kitchen.

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Mastodon says...
7:19pm Thu 25 Oct 12

established wrote:
How can people object to a doctors' surgery and new housing?

I bet they all live in nice houses and can probably afford private health care.

I agree absolute NIMBYism!

Not much of demonstration either, I can only make out 25 people. Those people with common sense probably stayed at home and watched Saturday Kitchen.
established; you need to get out more...people often object to large scale developments on rural green fields.
And just so you know, I live in an ordinary house and use the NHS !

Its hardly NIMBYism...far from it.

There are affordable houses currently being built on the same road, practically opposite. Not to mention un-sold new builds on Lower Road, next door to the fields in question.

As someone who has to use this road every day for school runs and work I can tell you its a very bad idea to put this large development here.

There is a lot of opposition to this development in the village, not just the immediate area.

The surgery is in a contract with a developer who needs it to validate building on green fields outside the village boundary. End result will be a surgery in a stupid place, and daily traffic issues...not to mention loss of green fields and village character.

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Salhow says...
7:42pm Thu 25 Oct 12

Couldn't agree more with mastodon. This is far from nimbyism and simply a matter of applying common sense to an ill-conceived idea. There are other building works under construction in the nearby area which we did not object to, but the volume of traffic this will create will undoubtedly turn a country lane into a highly dangerous road. With the primary school in such close vicinity this will be an accident waiting to happen. Talking of stats, I suggest you ask the developers about their evidence of need for a surgery on this scale. I have seen no evidence to date to suggest that there are 10,000 people in the nearby vicinity who are prepared to change GP and use this surgery, particularly bearing in mind that a brand new Bridgwater Hospital is under construction only 3 miles away.

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shellgib says...
8:07pm Thu 25 Oct 12

The only people that will benefit from this development will be BAE and the Surgery who want more patients from outside OUR village.

Most will have to get in a vehicle of some sort to get to the surgery especially the elderly that live at the top of the village.

To benefit OUR village the surgery should be of a smaller scale and located near to where it is now so most people can walk to it and not put more traffic through our village and on the road to Puriton which is a narrow, bendy road.

We have 6 empty/unfinished houses on Lower Road that have been that way for well over a year! We do not need more!

WE WANT OUR VILLAGE TO REMAIN A VILLAGE

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blackmasquerade says...
10:53pm Thu 25 Oct 12

shellgib wrote:
The only people that will benefit from this development will be BAE and the Surgery who want more patients from outside OUR village.

Most will have to get in a vehicle of some sort to get to the surgery especially the elderly that live at the top of the village.

To benefit OUR village the surgery should be of a smaller scale and located near to where it is now so most people can walk to it and not put more traffic through our village and on the road to Puriton which is a narrow, bendy road.

We have 6 empty/unfinished houses on Lower Road that have been that way for well over a year! We do not need more!

WE WANT OUR VILLAGE TO REMAIN A VILLAGE
Totally agree

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flying dutchman says...
4:35pm Fri 26 Oct 12

if so many people are against it with so much passion where were they when pic was taken? where were the protesters before pic was taken and why did they go so fast after pic was taken by mercury.houses for sale lower road.are not even finished yet for habitation..too many nimbys in OUR VILLAGE which includes the top and middle of woolavington.

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junefc says...
7:59pm Mon 29 Oct 12

This is not just a group of people objecting for the sake of it. There are legitimate reasons, we have done our homework! This development/applicat
ion does not comply with Sedgemoors Core Strategy policy P4 for several reasons. Highways have recommended refusal for many reasons. Woolavington already has the highest percentage of affordable housing in Sedgemoor, we do not need or want anymore. Yes we need a new surgery but the proposed one is way too big and in the wrong place to serve the people who need it!

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*********** says...
7:09pm Thu 1 Nov 12

Isn't it funny that people have nothing better to do than moan!! So the bit you cannot face is the AFFORDABLE HOMES! They are NOT council houses! I would like to see you moaning in the future when your child/children may need a house but an affordable home will not be good enough!? Im pretty sure it is the affordable homes bit that you DO NOT like!

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