Plans dropped for cars levy on developer

11 February 2010

Proposals to charge a developer £200,000 if to many people drive to work at a new business park in Yeovil have been thrown out.

Councillors struck out the contentious proposal to place financial sanctions on Abbey Manor Capital Partners at its Bunford Park development site. Abbey Manor was granted outline planning permission to develop a business park on 50 acres of farmland next to the western Distributor Road with potential for up to 3,500 jobs.

But it was asked to put up a £200,000 bond which would be repaid after five years if targets for minimalising car use were met.

If the majority of workers drove to work, the bond would not have been repaid and the money would have been spent on cycle routes and marketing campaigns to encourage people out of their cars.

Abbey Manor Capital Partners managing director, Jason Mills, argued against the idea, saying financial sanctions would render the location uncompetitive. Mr Mills said: " We are the developer. We are not the end user or the occupier. We have no influence over how people arrive at their workplace. Yeovil is a market town surrounded by open countryside. Most of us drive to work"

Instead of imposing the £200,000 sanction, councillors voted for revised conditions on the planning permission for the site. The developer will still have to adhere to a travel plan, which includes measures to help traffic flow on nearby roads, and encourage people to walk, cycle and use public transport.

The measures are part of a legal agreement and the developer would face enforcement action if they are not undertaken.

South Somerset District Council's assistant director of economy, Simon Gale, recommended dropping the bond to bring the project forward. He said: "While work isn't going on this site, jobs aren't being created and not lifting the local economy. We are fully committed to sustainable transport and we are committed to the travel plan."

However, some councillors were wary of dropping the financial sanctions.

Angus McPhee, chairman of West Coker Parish Council expressed concern about traffic problems the new site may cause. He said: "I think it is wrong to burden the public with the cost of the remedial action by using the council tax or other public money should the plans prove to be wrong. The developer understands the risk of developing Bunford Park. They should be financially responsible".

District councillor Cathy Bakewell said: " A much more robust system is needed to prevent side roads and residential areas getting clogged up. This is the major development for the area and the district council requires significant measures to safeguard the local area".