Common Planning Queries

When a new housing development is built, the infrastructure (roads, pavements, drains etc) eventually become 'adopted' as Somerset Council responsibility.

This only happens when that infrastructure meets Somerset Council's standards. It will not be signed off until this happens, meaning that sometimes there is a time lag (& resident concerns) between new houses being occupied and the infrastructure being adopted.

David Wilson Estate, Wookey Hole Road:

Somerset Council have recently responded to questions over the delay in road adoption:

Firstly, thank you for bringing these concerns to our attention, in light of these I have taken the opportunity to discuss this matter with my team to understand what the outstanding issues are and where we are from the Highway Authority's point of view. My team have informed me that at present the site does not have the benefit of technical approval. Consequently, we have not been able to progress to the next stage which would be entering into a Section 38 legal agreement. Therefore, at the present time the developer is still responsible for the maintenance of the site in their role as the site manager. As such I would advise that your residents direct their concerns to them so they can look to rectify these defects.

With regards to progressing the Section 38 agreement, the Highway Authority will undertake a site inspection to compile a list of remedials. We will then look to share this with the developer, it will then be down to them to address these. Once the Highway Authority is notified that these works have been completed, we will undertake a further inspection and if we are satisfied that these have been addressed we will be in a position to issue technical approval and the Part 1 certificate and in turn progress the legal agreement.

Please be assured that we will work with the developer to progress this scheme but given the complexities of the site it may take time to resolve all the issues concerned.

Thank you again for bringing these concerns to our attention and I hope the above gives comfort that we are working with the developer to progress this scheme.

You will see that Highways advise residents to contact their developers via customer services to further progress. The Parish Council is very limited in what it can do practically, other than represent resident's concerns.

Site visits are not mandatory for the Parish Council. This guidance gives an overview of when and how members of the Planning Committee would undertake a site visit.

Recommendations made by the Parish Council must marry with given criteria.