Residents in Street have launched a fierce backlash against plans to build 71 homes on land off Cemetery Lane—warning it will bring gridlock, flood risk and destroy local wildlife habitats.

Dozens of objections have been lodged on the Somerset Council planning portal, with many slamming the proposals as "completely unsuitable" for the area. Locals say the roads earmarked for access—Moorland Road, Mendip View and Grange Avenue—are already clogged with parked cars, and turning them into a route for construction vehicles and hundreds of new residents will be a disaster.

One resident, Matthew Dobbins, wrote: "You are knowingly endangering residents and animals by even proposing this as a route into the development site." He branded the road layout "dangerous" and said the plans showed a total disregard for people with disabilities, carers and families with young children.

Others raised alarm over the loss of green space and worsening flood risk. The site sits on the edge of the Somerset Levels, with many describing it as boggy, regularly waterlogged, and vital to local drainage. "This land lies extremely wet during the winter months and is not suitable for building," said Colin Dibble. "Estate agents told us it wouldn't be built on."

The wildlife impact also triggered outrage, with residents reporting regular sightings of deer, foxes, bats, badgers and owls in the fields. "The damage to this wetland would be irreversible," warned Owen Carroll.

Street Parish Council echoed the concerns, noting "significant issues" with access, drainage, ecological harm and a lack of infrastructure to support more people. Residents also slammed the clustering of social housing in one section of the site, despite the developer's claim the homes would be "fully integrated."

Critics say the area is already buckling under the pressure of new builds, with GP appointments, school places and even bus services hard to come by. "You can't get a doctor's appointment now," one objector said. "And you want to throw 71 more families into the mix?"

Many also said they weren't properly informed about the plans and felt shut out of the process.

One short, blunt comment said it all: "We object to this plan. We don't want it. We don't need it."

The application—reference 2025/0646/OUT—remains under review. Locals can view and comment via the Somerset East Planning Portal.