Three local councils have joined forces to voice their concerns about high-density housing developments in and around Yeovil.
The issue was raised by the deputy chairman of Brympton Parish Council (BPC), Councillor Peter Seib, who urged Yeovil Town Council (YTC) and Yeovil Without Parish Council (YWPC) to join forces with BPC.
Mr Seib attended a recent planning meeting of YTC, where councillors voiced similar concerns.
Mr Seib claimed that high-density housing projects of 53 dwellings per hectare - originally only deemed appropriate for large cities - were now being recommended for Somerset market towns.
Planning officer Mark Pollock also attended the meeting, and explained that there was a continuing heavy demand for housing, expected to increase, in the south of England.
Mr Pollock said that government advice and criteria is set out in a guideline document named PPG 3.
One way of meeting demand was by increasing the density to the most effective use of the land available, according to Mr Pollock.
He added, however, that the prime consideration for planning officers was the quality of the design and the density of proposed housing in the context of the surrounding area.
A debate followed and it was decided that the three councils should write a joint letter with a response request to planning advisers of the National Association of Local Councils.
* District councillors recently turned down a planning application for a housing development on land near Preston Road/Lufton Way on grounds of density. The minutes of that meeting recorded: "The housing density of 50 dwellings/hectare is too high, particularly in comparison with other nearby developments.