WATCHET Town Council’s recommendation that plans for the Cleeve Hill development should be withdrawn and resubmitted had been “totally ignored”, the town’s Mayor Cllr John Irven has claimed.

He told Somerset West and Taunton’s planning committee meeting last Thursday that the town council’s strong objections to stability, drainage, transport, access and infrastructure on the site had been left out of the official report.

“We ask for an explanation and for assurances that this will not be allowed to recur,” he said.

“Our opinions appear to be often ignored. As a result, local residents express little confidence in the SWAT planning process.”

The packed meeting heard argument from a number of residents about why the new homes should not go ahead.

Duncan Watson described the development as a “four-storey monstrosity” which would make existing traffic problems in the town even worse.

“An extra 136 family homes – the majority of which are four and five-bedroom houses – will create huge problems,” he said.

“There are seven pubs along this route with collections and deliveries. There are narrow footpaths and dangerous exits from the beach.

“We’ve seen a few near-misses along here.”

Alison Mills, who lives near the site, said: “The amount of water already coming off this land is immense -the surrounding properties are barely coping with the amount coming off.

“These houses will commence at our roof level, meaning they will completely block the light and infringe on our privacy.”

Phil Gannon, a retired chartered surveyor, said it was “questionable” that the site was in a sustainable location given the level of coastal erosion.

“Cleeve Hill is already a slope of some considerable height,” he said.

“The north face drops dramatically into the Bristol Channel and is subject to both sea erosion and weathering.

“Any geological intrusion will upset the land’s stability.

“The proposed realignment of the coastal road is highly questionable – it may well accelerate the erosion rate.”

And Cllr Ian Aldridge said it was “not an option to just allow this road to fall into the sea.

“Putting the road through the site reduces the number of homes you can build on the site, which reduces its viability.

“The most vulnerable people in the housing market are being asked to pay for the highway – I don’t find that acceptable.”

The planning committee will reconsider the application at a later meeting.