Introduction
The Bower Manor area is a collection of new development sites proposed to be built along the M5 corridor. If you look closely at the map all the orange areas to the right of the Westonzoyland Road are designated to be built over the forthcoming years, there may be four or five estates to be constructed along the corridor between Bower Lane (Westonzoyland Road to Bath Road) and the M5 motorway.
BACC’s primary interest here is the proposal to build a ‘spine road’ through the estates (see black dotted wiggly line) and turn the majority of Bower Lane (yellow dotted line) into a ‘Green Lane’ (no access or use by vehicles, green space route for only pedestrians & cyclists).
Bower Farm Estate
The first estate along the Bower Lane corridor will consist of 260 dwellings and has received outline planning permission (see application 09/20/00019) . It is important here that we confirm the construction design of the ‘spine road’ within this and subsequent estates and therefore how this will affect proposals for the transformation of Bower Lane into a ‘Green Lane’. We have met with a local planning officer from Sedgemoor District Council (SDC) and have initially corresponded with the Case Officer.
Of particular note in the BACC comments is the relationship between the constructed ‘spine road’ to Bower Lane (unrestricted cycle & walking route between two Bridgwater main trunk roads – A372 & A38), safe cycle access across the new Westonzoyland Road roundabout, shared use surfaces, cycle storage facilities and the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) location towards active travel facilities.
Link to the ‘BACC Planning Comments‘. Further meetings to be held with SDC case officer and local planning officer to discuss details within the ‘East Bridgwater Development & Design Principles Document‘, which covers the Bower Estate.
Outcome statements to be added in future!
And the next estate?