A COUNCILLOR who played a prominent role in fighting off two planning applications for Chard’s northern edge has been shocked to return from holiday and discover the plans are back.

Martin Wale, district councillor for Blackdown, attended every hearing last time plans for more than 300 were proposed.

Now a fresh application for a football ground, sports pitches and 295 homes have come back across his desk.

That was on the same day as an adjacent site was subject to a 140 application, taking the area total to 335 - and Cllr Wale still has concerns.

He said: “The problem that we are facing now is the remarks made by the appeal inspector about if this application should come back and Chard has failed to progress to the south west.

“I have already seen the applications referring to this.”

Cllr Wale did say the major plans are an improvement on what was seen previously.

In the first Mount Hindrance application, the football ground access was from Cuttiford’s Door, but has now been moved to the main access site from Thorndun Park Drive.

He also raised concerns about the 140 homes plan.

“I also have concerns for the residents of Morangis Way,” he added.

“They are all bungalows and if they have a housing estate put on its back garden, then I think it is fair to say that is not best practice.

“That application is going to come out on to Crimchard. It is not a particularly good bit of road there as it is.

“If you get a bus and a large car then it is a problem. Having cars from 140 homes is going to be a bit of a problem.

“It was 110 homes. Now it is up to 140, so the density may be another thing that could be a problem, and we have to look at that too.”