At a packed meeting of Axbridge residents last night, the Town Council displayed the plans relating to the proposed gypsy and traveller camp on the slopes of Fry's Hill beside the A371 in Axbridge. The site sits in the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and contains a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
Residents at the meeting voiced their concerns about the proposals, including:-
- The loss of wildlife refuge and corridor beside the A371
- Dangerous access to the A371 within a 60 mph zone
- Loss of visual amenity
- Sewage treatment on the site
- The potential for expansion, especially since the council pared-back enforcement
One resident, who has worked hard for years to encourage and monitor wildlife in the immediate vicinity, has identified 12 different species of bats and all of the UK's small mammals on her neighbouring plot. The Ecological Appraisal, completed in 2023, identifies some species and proposes some recommendations but is somewhat out of date.
The site, once used to grow lavender, has been subject to planning permission in the past, but the applicant withdrew following a rejection decision.
Local campaigner, Graham Godwin-Pearson, who served as the District Councillor for the area during the final years of Sedgemoor, was vocal in his opposition to the gas power plant by the chicken farm. He is opposed to the plans and urged residents to lodge their objections on the council website before the deadline of 24th April.
He said at the meeting, "I am opposed to any development on the north side of the A371. This is within an AONB and includes an SSSI: it's an important refuge for wildlife. At what point do we stop building on our green fields and leave these spaces for nature?"
The National Planning Policy Framework section 15 paragraph 193(b) states:-
...development on land within or outside a Site of Special Scientific Interest, and which is likely to have an adverse effect on it (either individually or in combination with other developments), should not normally be permitted.
In addition, the Environment Act 2021 mandates that all planning meets a minimum of a 10% gain in biodiversity. In order to achieve this, according to the Ecology Net Gain Report, there would need to be significant planting on the site, including native trees and grassland enhancement.
Graham says, "Protection of wildlife is enshrined in our planning laws. The council should refuse permission on that basis alone. At the same time, allow this development and the precedent has been set for future applications."
