A public consultation is set to take place next week, allowing Bridgwater residents to voice their opinions on the revised plans for a 750-home development in their town.
The proposal was put forward by Edward Ware (Bridgwater) Ltd. in October 2023 for a significant development between Bower Lane and the M5, which includes up to 750 houses, a primary school, and a community facility.
The development forms part of the East Bridgwater housing allocation within the Sedgemoor Local Plan, stretching from the Bridgwater Community Hospital site across the A372 Westonzoyland Road to the bottom of Dunwear Lane.
The Bristol-based developer has now submitted amended proposals for the site following a viability assessment that concluded delivering more than 200 affordable homes within the site is not a feasible option.
Bridgwater Without Parish Council will host a special planning meeting on April 24, providing residents with the opportunity to comment on these revised proposals before Somerset Council makes its final decision by year-end.
The Edward Ware site is located at the northern end of the East Bridgwater allocation, nestled between the Polden Bower special needs school and the Strawberry Grange development of 260 homes currently under construction by Countryside Partnerships.
If approved, the new homes will be delivered in three phases from north to south.
The first phase of the project, near Crow Lane, will see 260 homes built between December 2025 and October 2030. The second phase, near the Bower Inn, will comprise 296 homes to be constructed between April 2027 and April 2031.
The third phase, near the Strawberry Grange estate, will involve the construction of 194 homes between December 2028 and December 2032.
According to the Sedgemoor Local Plan, any new development of ten homes or more must provide 30 per cent affordable housing. This means that 225 of the properties should be affordable.
However, a viability assessment carried out by Alder King has found that this may not be economically viable due to the value of this land. As a result, the developer may offer fewer affordable homes, or none at all, in order to make a sufficient profit on the land.
The spine road linking the homes to the A39 Bath Road is set to be completed between September 2026 and March 2029. Southbound traffic will move through the Strawberry Grange estate to the recently completed roundabout which links the A372 to a planned development of 530 homes at Folletts Farm on Dunwear Lane.
Bower Lane itself will be downgraded between the two spine road junctions, providing a safe, quiet route for pedestrians and cyclists. This is in addition to cycle lanes which will be provided along the length of the spine road.
A new primary school will be delivered near Bower Lane between the phase two and three parcels by July 2030. This is around the time that 556 of the new homes are expected to have been completed and occupied.
A community facility is also being developed in the same vicinity, with measures such as a noise bund and an acoustic fence being put in place to mitigate motorway noise. A spokesperson for Thrive Architects, representing the applicant, stated: "East Bridgwater will have its own distinctive design and a layout that reflects its specific position within the town. This new neighbourhood will therefore have an identity specific to its position and we will aim to create a sustainable, accessible and attractive high quality development."
They added: "There will be well-designed housing appropriate for all ages, public open space for people to enjoy their leisure time, purpose-built primary education facilities and either new or existing links to existing community facilities."
A special meeting of the Bridgwater Without Parish Council is scheduled to take place at the Morganians Rugby Club on Chedzoy Lane on Thursday, April 24 from 7:15pm.
Following the parish council's recommendation (either to approve or refuse the plans), Somerset Council's planning committee north will make a final decision by autumn.
