Northern Trust Land is a family-owned private company that has been involved in housebuilding across the country for over 60 years, committed to delivering high-quality homes that respect and enhance their surroundings. We focus on creating sustainable communities that offer well-connected green spaces, excellent infrastructure, and homes tailored to local needs by working closely with local communities and local authorities.
The Local Plan dictates where the Council expects new development to be located. The current Local Plan identifies the site as being within the Direction of Growth for Somerton, where a permissive approach to housing proposals is provided. The site is also well-connected to Somerton, which is a market town offering many amenities needed for everyday life. There is also shortage of both affordable and open market homes in the area. We are proposing homes here as there is a need for housing and this site is suitable for housing-led development.
As part of our plans for new homes on this site, we will need to create a road access at the northern boundary. We are committed to designing this access as sensitively as possible, minimising the impact on local wildlife and maintaining ecological connectivity across the site.
We will not only retain remaining hedgerows and trees but protect them by setting development away from the site boundaries to create a natural buffer for wildlife such as birds and bats to pass through safely. We will also enhance the existing hedgerows on the eastern boundary of the site to increase biodiversity in this area.
Further survey work is being undertaken to determine how wildlife uses the site so we can ensure their habitats are protected and, where necessary, enhanced.
Without major redevelopment, an access point for vehicles on Ricksey Lane would be unsafe for motorists, pedestrians and cyclists. Any widening of the road is unfeasible at this time given that we do not have control over Ricksey Lane.
The road is subject to the national speed limit (60 mph) and is lined by tall shrubbery on either side. Given the speed of the road and the presence of vegetation, visibility splays would also affected and wouldn’t achieve the minimum standards.
Furthermore, as width of the lane ranges between 3.5-4.5m with no road markings and gravel patches set into the verge. Due to the limited widths, two-way simultaneous vehicle movement cannot be achieved along the lane.
As there are no pavements down this lane, pedestrians and cyclists have to use the road or travel along the grass verges. This poses safety concerns due to the speed and limited visibility down the length of the road.
Due to the safety concerns regarding Ricksey Lane as an access point for vehicles, we will have to sensitively create an access point through the existing open space.
We have therefore designed our proposals from the start to minimise loss of amenity for existing residents. Any space taken up by the road will be relocated within the public open space in the northern part of our site, available for use by existing and new residents.
We would like to reassure residents that a safe access is an absolute priority for us, ensuring from the outset that the safety of pedestrians is maintained with the new access plans.
Our proposals will bring significant new investment to improve community facilities, infrastructure, and public spaces. We want to hear what you think Somerton needs and we look forward to working with councillors, residents and the Town Council over the coming months to ensure that our plans deliver for the whole community.
The whole site will be investigated and recorded prior to any construction works to ensure any historical sites or artefacts are identified. An independent archaeological banksman will oversee excavations on the site.
Any findings from these investigations will be shared for all to view once the planning application has been submitted.
A noise survey has been conducted on site to determine noise levels and found that they are low. To mitigate the noise from trains on the railway line, we have developed a noise mitigation strategy. This includes measures such as a 45 metre gap between the southern site boundary and using existing hedgerows to absorb any impact of the noise hedgerow to absorb noise.
An additional vibration survey and assessment will be undertaken to ensure that vibration levels within bedrooms are within recommended guidelines for residential development.
The development will be underpinned by a sustainable urban drainage system that will ensure that the risk of flooding is reduced overall.
