AN ACTION group pledged to stop a controversial housing development and road development, and to protect the town from increased traffic congestion, was launched at a crowded meeting in Watchet on Tuesday ‘to do something before it is too late’.

A spokesperson said: “The Cleeve Hill Action Group has been set up in response to claims that Somerset West and Taunton planning department are determined to push through outline planning permission for 136 homes and the re-routing of the B3191 on this controversial Watchet site.

“This is despite many legitimate concerns expressed by hundreds of residents, Watchet Town Council and local groups such as the Watchet Conservation Society.”

Dr Andy King, principal geologist with specialist consultants Geckoella, described how the geological features and structures in the red Triassic and grey Jurassic strata led to cliff instability, particularly in the areas adjoining Cleeve Hill and the proposed realignment of the B3191 coast road.

Dr King said any development or engineering works undertaken on Cleeve Hill needed to take very careful consideration not only of the underlying geology but also of the hydrology, especially given the proximity of the soft, structurally deformed and rapidly eroding cliffs with areas of landslip.

He questioned whether the use of rock nails and mesh to help stabilise the cliff top would be sufficient in the area where the proposed realignment of the B3191 was planned to re-join the existing road in the vicinity of Saxon Close.

Dr King added that Geckoella strongly objected to the Cleeve Hill development and in particular the lack of scrutiny of potential links with any future proposals for hard coastal defences along the cliff base.

He claimed that such defences would permanently obscure and damage the nationally important geological SSSI and could lead to knock-on impacts further down the coast, including Watchet harbour.

Co-organisers of the group, Watchet residents Alison Mills and Jan Martin, said after the meeting: “We felt compelled to do something before it’s too late.

“We are not experts on planning, just determined people who care about the future of Watchet. We are concerned that major statutory planning requirements are being ignored by the planning department and Somerset County Council Highways.

“We intend that district councillors are fully aware of the contentious nature of this proposed development and are in a position to make an informed choice when the planning application is placed before the planning committee.

“The main points we believe should be placed before them are the instability of the cliffs by Saxon Close and the impossibility of creating a free flow of traffic through the development and on into Watchet.

“Then there is the total lack of provision for access from the development for pedestrians, cyclists and mobility scooters, plus the major environmental impact on Watchet, as a popular West Country tourist destination and the probability of increased flooding in West Street.”