The current adopted Local Plan (now carried forward by Somerset Council) is still being used to approve large new housing developments around Chard.

Within this framework, the proposed Chard Eastern Relief Road is being linked to new developments, with developers contributing funding towards it through planning agreements.

We are deeply concerned that this approach is being used to justify building a major road through part of the Nature Reserve and surrounding green fields.

This is not just a transport or housing issue. It is a nature protection issue.

The Nature Reserve is a vital green space for the people of Chard and surrounding villages, supporting both mental and physical wellbeing, wildlife, and biodiversity. Once lost or damaged, it cannot be replaced.

Linking housing growth to the loss of irreplaceable natural space risks setting a dangerous precedent, where green infrastructure is gradually sacrificed in order to unlock development elsewhere.

We believe the Nature Reserve and surrounding landscape must be fully protected. It should not be used as a trade-off for road building or housing delivery.

This proposal, as it stands, must not go ahead.