BACKWELL residents have banded together to object to plans to build a large housing estate at the edge of their village.

An impressive 1,280 people have objected to Taylor Wimpey’s planning application for Grove Farm and Burnt House Farm.

The proposal for 515 new houses was initially put forward at the developer's drop-in event, which left many locals fearing for the future of the village.

Many believe that this would put immense pressure on infrastructure.

One objector said: “Having seen the proposed development I’m shocked and horrified by the hopes of the council and developer.

“How on earth can Backwell ever support a proposal which will virtually double the size of this community?

“The roads are in lock jam and without a serious link road to the M5 and the city I see there can be no feasible way to accommodate potentially 1,000 more cars on the A370 twice daily, let alone the dreaded school run chaos.”

Residents have also expressed concerns about the lack of school provision for both existing children and those relocating to the area.

A commenter said: “I completely object to this proposal! We moved to Backwell because it was a village eight years ago.

“We now have a five year old at West Leigh Infants School.

“Having talked to Taylor Wimpey about the plans for schools, we were told that the school may or may not expand or there may be another school, but the bottom line was that that essentially wasn't their problem, that was for the council to decide. This was not reassuring.”

A Taylor Wimpey spokesperson said: “We are aware of residents’ concerns regarding local infrastructure provisions linked to our proposed development on Grove Farm/Burnt House Farm in Backwell. 

“We understand the importance of listening to the community, and we have considered all feedback as we finalise our plans/proposals. 

“We have had extensive discussions with North Somerset Council and Lighthouse Schools Partnership regarding local school provision, and we can confirm that our proposals will provide land for phased expansion of Backwell’s primary education provision. 

“Our proposals also promote the self-containment of Backwell village, which is why extensive measures are proposed to enhance local connectivity by improving cycle and pedestrian routes, and support local services and facilities.” 

A North Somerset Council spokesperson explained that, since the application is still being assessed by the planning team, it wouldn’t be appropriate for them to comment on the plans.

A council spokesperson added: “The relevant planning issues are still being assessed, and all the comments which have been submitted in response to the application will be fully taken into account before a final decision is made.”