Inquiry opens into the Banwell Bypass
The inquiry is expected to conclude on July 27, but a judgement will not be delivered straight away
Forcing landowners to sell to make way for a bypass around a congested Somerset village is a “justified and proportionate” interference with their human rights, a public inquiry has been told.
The public inquiry, which launched on Tuesday (11/07), will determine whether North Somerset Council can use its compulsory purchase powers to acquire land for a bypass around Banwell. The inquiry is being held on the Grand Pier in Weston-super-Mare and is expected to run for three weeks.
Andrew Tait KC was setting out North Somerset Council’s opening arguments in favour of building the bypass. He told the inquiry: “No more land is proposed to be acquired than is necessary to implement the scheme, including its incorporated mitigation.”
He added: “There has been extensive and meaningful engagement with landowners, objectors, and other stakeholders in order to try and resolve issues and acquire land by agreement where possible.”
He said: “The interference with human rights that will be caused by this scheme is justified and proportionate, especially having regard to the availability of compensation.”
But one landowner who faces losing land to the scheme, a Mr A Cash, spoke up from the audience at an opportunity to ask questions, to say he could be faced with having “nowhere to put my animals.”
He was told he would have a point to speak on this later in the inquiry.
The land being acquired for the scheme is “predominantly agricultural grassland,” Mr Tait said. Other land being subject to the compulsory purchase orders is used for equestrian, recreation, and business functions. He added: “Subject to the need to demolish a short section of boundary wall at Castle Hill, no residential property is acquired.”
The 3.3km new road would go north around the village, from Summer Lane to Towerhead Road, allowing traffic to avoid the narrow road through the village. Construction is expected to take three years, with hopes for the bypass to open in 2026.
Mr Tait said: “The need for a bypass at Banwell has been recognised for many years. As the footnote explains, that’s nearly 100 years. Since 1982, this need has consistently been identified in local transport plans and in the development plans.
“These policy documents have recognised the need to alleviate the chronic environmental problems that have impacted the village for many years as a result of traffic along the A371 and A368 which currently meet in the narrow historic centre of the Banwell conservation area.”
Mr Tait added that the bypass had been designed to have minimal carbon emissions in its construction and would have “no significant effect” on the climate.
He said the scheme represented “high value for money,” and would return £2.27 for every £1 spent.
But he warned that “significant unanticipated inflationary pressures” in the construction sector had seen the expected cost shoot up by up to £23m. This is expected to be covered by an additional £12m from Homes England and £11m from North Somerset Council — which is going before the council for a vote tonight.
Mr Tait is calling ten witnesses, who will give evidence about the scheme on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Supporters of the scheme are set to give their evidence on Thursday July 13, with different objectors then to address the inquiry over four days between Tuesday July 18 and Tuesday July 25, although the schedule of the inquiry is subject to change.
The inquiry is expected to conclude on Thursday July 27, but a judgement will not be delivered straight away.
Read more: Banwell bypass approved: report of the full North Somerset Council meeting