Wells has seen an explosion of new housing, with over a thousand new homes built here over the last ten years, and more to come. It’s a divisive issue with some feeling passionately that new housing could ruin its attraction as ‘Britain’s smallest city’, and others keen to take advantage of new and affordable housing in the area.
The government has recently completed consultation on a revised National Planning Policy Framework which will include additional housing targets for local planning authorities, inevitably encompassing Wells.
Whether more housing is good or bad for Wells was debated at a recent panel discussion hosted by Wells Civic Society.
The debate soon showed that as further substantial housing development within the area is inevitable, debating the rights and wrongs of housing is a moot point. A better discussion is the subsidiary question discussed at the debate: how should future housing development should be approached in historic cities such as Wells.
The how? of housing development is critical. Economic demands, population growth and resulting government policy make more housing inevitable and like all heritage towns, the government will ensure that the Wells region takes its share; there is little Wells residents can do about this. But there is plenty they can do about the How.
The debate identified many ways to influence development:
· Location of development (including protection of green spaces between developments);
· Provision of transportation infrastructure to reduce traffic impact and preserve air quality including enabling options such as bus, walking and cycling routes;
· Protection for (or even enhancement of) the surrounding environment;
· Quality and design of new buildings – both aesthetic and practical including sustainability features and ‘fit’ with a Wells vernacular;
· Provision of facilities including medical, schools, leisure and retail (get this right and everyone can benefit!)
· Development of ‘brown’ or ‘grey’ field sites and re-use of existing buildings.
So there is much to play for. But this raises another critical issue; how actually to influence these points? Responding to specific development proposals is one route but it can be considered too late in the process to exert much influence. Better to be proactive and influence how proposals are formulated in the first place.
It’s too late to influence national policy - at least for now. But at a local level there is much to be done. Somerset council’s Local Plan sets out local policies for development which can be very influential. It is due for revision by 2029 – not that far in terms of policy development so ideas need to be developed now.
There is also the neighbourhood plan. This plan is formulated by the local community at town/city council or parish level and its policies are included in the Local Plan’s determination of development proposals – so potentially a highly influential route (and quite frankly may realistically be the best available to residents of Wells and the surrounding parishes). Wells confirmed its local plan last year, following a long process in which the Wells Civic Society played a leading role. This plan is due for revision in 2029, again not long before ideas need to be organised to exert maximum influence.
But surrounding parishes have no neighbourhood plans! Despite the fact most new housing will be within those parishes! So urgent action is required by those parish councils to get their plans done so the local communities can best influence developments.
Within the City of Wells, the City Council has the lead role in using the Wells Neighbourhood Plan as the basis for its response to Somerset Council’s planning consultations: but is this happening? If the Neighbourhood Plan just sits on the shelf residents will not get the benefit of it.
So I finish with some calls to action:
1. Wells City Council – use the Neighbourhood Plan proactively to influence planning decisions by Somerset;
2. St Cuthbert Out and Wookey parish councils – get your neighbourhood plans underway;
3. Wells Civic Society – you have been very influential in the past. Now is the time to assert your capabilities again to encourage and support the local councils in their developments and use of neighbourhood plans, including more work on outstanding details such as local listing of historic buildings. And to continue working on policy ideas which can be incorporated in to revised local plans or taken up in other policies and actions in the near future;
4. All residents of the Wells region – get involved in these processes whilst the chance is there to influence things (the Wells Civic Society will be holding further meetings).
If residents fail to make use of these opportunities then Wells could end up a sprawling conurbation encompassing nearby settlements like Haybridge, Wookey and Coxley: if they get it right they can preserve the unique character of England’s smallest city and all that flows from that.
Tim Thorogood – member of Wells Civic Society
This opinion piece is reflects the views of the writer in an individual capacity and does not reflect a policy position of the Wells Civic Society. Members of the Society are encouraged to contribute personal opinion pieces for consideration for publication on the Society’s website or other media.
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