An additional 300 homes could be added to a major housing development currently under construction in Bridgwater.
Cavanna Homes South West and Martin Grant Homes are in the preliminary stages of building the Centenary Heights development, which will ultimately consist of 675 homes, a primary school, and a community hub north of the A39 Quantock Road.
The first homes are slated for completion by winter, with current construction efforts centred around creating two new junctions on the main road – one of which will eventually connect to a separate development of 352 homes south of Quantock Road, being developed by Persimmon Homes Severn Valley.
Cavanna Homes has now hinted at initial plans for an additional 300 homes to the west of the current development site, along with a care home and a medical centre.
These early plans (referred to as a screening request) suggest the new homes would be built to the west of the existing estate, potentially using the same access points onto Quantock Road.
The development will extend along the A39 up to the BP petrol station, with the new homes situated near the Greenway Farm wedding venue on Skimmerton Lane and the existing properties on the B3339 Wembdon Hill.
The proposed development is also set to include a care home, which will be managed by a separate entity much like the Wool Gardens estate in Crewkerne, and a medical centre, complemented by "associated landscaping and public open space".
While Cavanna Homes has yet to unveil detailed blueprints for the new project, they've hinted at enhancing pedestrian and cycling connectivity if given the green light – potentially bridging one of the two 'missing links' on the A39 between Bridgwater and Cannington.
Speaking on behalf of the developer, Jonnathan Chick, an associate at Nexus Planning, said: "The site itself is well served by local facilities, with local shops, a service station, pubs, primary schools, sports facilities and community amenities all within a 20-minute walking distance.
"Bridgwater town centre lies less than two kilometres to the east of the site, providing a wide range of services and facilities.
"The parish of Wembdon benefits from a network of signed off-road and on-road cycle routes, providing connections to Bridgwater, surrounding areas and the National Cycle Network route 3, which extends south to Taunton and beyond, as well as east to Glastonbury and beyond.
"Bridgwater is also well-served by public transport, with a bus station offering frequent daily services to local, regional and national destinations, and a railway station providing regular connections to Bristol, Taunton and Exeter."
The proposed location is part of the broader 'West Bridgwater' allocation within the Sedgemoor Local Plan, which anticipates a total delivery of 1,200 homes on either side of the A39.
If given the green light, these new homes will be located near not only the planned primary school but also the replacement Haygrove School, set to open its doors at the southern end of Skimmerton Lane by late-2028 (substituting the current facility on Durleigh Road).
A decision from Somerset Council regarding the screening request is anticipated in the coming weeks. If approved, Cavanna Homes is likely to present detailed plans by the end of the year.
