Anna Sabine MP Leads Call for “Infrastructure First” Approach in Somer Valley Local Plan
Anna Sabine MP Leads Call for “Infrastructure First” Approach in Somer Valley Local Plan
Anna Sabine, Member of Parliament for Frome and East Somerset, has written to Bath & North East Somerset Council and the West of England Combined Authority (WECA), urging a fundamental rethink of plans for large-scale housing growth in the Somer Valley.
In a joint letter to Kevin Guy and Helen Godwin, Ms Sabine joined parish and town councils from across the Somer Valley to set out a unified position: that housing growth must not come without clear, funded plans for jobs, infrastructure and transport.
The letter follows a recent meeting convened by Ms Sabine, bringing together local councils and community representatives to discuss concerns about the emerging Local Plan.
Anna Sabine MP said:
“We are not opposed to new housing, we recognise the need for genuinely affordable homes. But the scale of development currently being proposed for the Somer Valley is unprecedented, and it simply cannot go ahead without the infrastructure to support it.
“For too long, our area has been treated as somewhere people live while commuting elsewhere for work. That is not sustainable for our roads, our economy, or our communities.”
The letter highlights that around half of workers in the Somer Valley commute out of the area, contributing to congestion in nearby cities and placing pressure on already stretched transport networks.
It calls for a clear employment strategy to accompany any housing growth, including investment in local job opportunities and town centres such as Radstock and Midsomer Norton.
Transport was identified as the most pressing concern, with communities facing limited and unreliable bus services, high car dependency, and increasing congestion on rural roads.
Ms Sabine added:
“Residents are telling us loud and clear that transport simply isn’t working. Promises have been made in the past, but too often they haven’t been delivered. We cannot repeat that mistake.
“If thousands of new homes are to be built, there must be a long-term, properly funded transport strategy in place from the outset.”
The letter also raises serious concerns about pressure on schools, GP surgeries, and water infrastructure, warning that many services are already at capacity.
It calls for housing numbers to be directly linked to guaranteed, funded expansion plans for essential infrastructure.
Local councils also expressed frustration over a lack of transparency and enforcement around developer contributions, with calls for stronger oversight of Section 106 agreements to ensure promised infrastructure is actually delivered.
The signatories are urging Bath & North East Somerset Council to adopt a joined-up, “infrastructure first” approach — ensuring that jobs, transport and public services are planned and funded alongside housing, not after it.
Ms Sabine said:
“Communities cannot accept a ‘housing first, infrastructure later’ approach. Growth must be properly planned, properly funded and genuinely collaborative.
“I will continue working with local councils and residents to ensure the voices of the Somer Valley are heard loud and clear.”
The letter has been co-signed by a range of local parish and town councils, as well as community groups and the Mayor of Midsomer Norton, reflecting widespread concern across the area.
ENDS