COUNCILLORS seem less than excited about a new Place Plan which is being devised for Wellington. The Place Plan is being put together by the Somerset West and Taunton Council which will inform future decisions about the development, regeneration and conservation of the town.

Consultation is launched today, Monday, January 23, on the plan, which will look at potential options for future growth to support housing and employment needs: retail and commercial function; transport systems; culture and heritage. When adopted it will be a long-term strategy that will inform the future Somerset-wide Local Plan as we move to a new unitary authority in April 2023.

The council has commissioned consultants Allies and Morrison, Avison Young, and LUC to prepare the Place Plan including a Vision, Spatial Framework, and Infrastructure and Implementation Plan.

A number of public engagements events were held in October for local people to have their say on the future of the town.

And Sarah Povall, principal planning officer with Somerset West and Taunton Council, told members of Wellington Town Council on Monday, January 9, that there was a great feeling of pride in the community about the place they live.

She gave an update on the Place Plan initiative, but it did not really capture the imagination of local councillors.

Cllr Janet Lloyd said there seemed to be a number of inaccuracies in the report, while Cllr Andrew Govier was equally concerned.

“It seems as if we trying to rush this through really quickly,” he said in reference to the fact that the Somerset West and Taunton District Council will disappear come April 1 with the introduction of the new Somerset Council unitary authority.

And Cllr Keith Wheatley said he was also unsure about the whole thing and was not entirely convinced about the use of consultants.

“Consultants come in and borrow your watch and charge you a lot of money to do so and then just end up telling you the time,” he said. “I’m sceptical about this. There is nothing wrong with it, but there isn’t really anything new.”

But Cllr Marcus Barr added: “Thank you to Sarah for all the work she has put into this.”

The draft Place Plan will be subject to statutory consultation this month and it is intended for adoption at the full council of Somerset West and Taunton in March.