Nearly 300 extra homes could be built on the western edge of Bridgwater if new plans are given the go-ahead.
Cavanna Homes South West and Martin Grant Homes are in the preliminary stages of delivering the Centenary Heights development, which will eventually consist of 675 homes, a primary school and a community hub north of the A39 Quantock Road.
The first homes are anticipated to be completed by summer 2026, with construction currently 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, delivered by Persimmon Homes Severn Valley.
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Torquay-based Cavanna Homes teased initial plans in late-June for an additional 300 homes to the west of the current development site, along with a care home and a medical centre.
More detailed plans (which have seen the total planned homes reduced down to 275) have now been unveiled as part of a public consultation – with a formal application expected to be submitted to Somerset Council before the end of the year.
The plans were formally presented by Cavanna Homes at a public drop-in event at Wembdon Village Hall on 29 September, which was attended by over 100 people.
The current Centenary Heights development comprises two residential phases: phase one, comprising 238 homes (which has full planning permission) and phase two, comprising 437 homes (which has outline planning permission only).
The proposed third phase will be accessed from the signalised junction linking the first phase site to Quantock Road, with green buffers maintained to separate the new homes from Cokerhurst Farm and the Greenway Farm wedding venue on Skimmerton Lane.
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The new homes will be within walking distance of both the new primary school (which Somerset Council will deliver at an unconfirmed date, using funding from several local developments) and the relocated Haygrove School on the southern part of Skimmerton Lane (which will be delivered directly by the Department for Education by September 2028).
However, the consultation does not explicitly mention the provision of either care homes or a medical centre within the site – though the latter could potentially be provided within the "neighbourhood centre" approved in the phase one proposals.
A spokesperson for Cavanna Homes stated: "The proposed development will provide a continuation of the spine road which will facilitate a bus route through phases one, two and three.
"There are a number of signed off-road and on-road cycle routes from Wembdon providing linkage to Bridgwater and the surrounding areas, and also to National Cycle Network route 3, which runs south to Taunton and east to Glastonbury.
"There is the potential opportunity to incorporate a strategic cycle corridor from Bridgwater to Cannington through development on to Wembdon Hill via Skimmerton Lane.
"The proposed development of the site has been carefully considered so that ecological features, such as hedgerows, woodland, and existing habitats, will be preserved where possible," was the statement given.
Mark Phillips, a resident of Inwood Road (close to the phase one site), alleged that Cavanna Homes would commence work on these homes prior to completing phase one – and that Martin Grant Homes was looking to offload its share of land with existing planning approval.
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He said: "The representatives from Cavanna [at the drop-in event] confirmed that phase two is fully owned by Martin Grant Homes and they are looking to sell this on, along with their option to build part of phase one.
"Phase three will be a Cavanna site and they hope to move on from the 109 houses (from 238 fully planned in phone one) straight into phase three, if and when they have planning permission.
"So, phase two which is behind Inwood Road, Risedale Close and Wembdon Hill (the old fruit-picking fields) currently has no confirmed builder, unless Martin Grant decide to employ someone if they cannot sell it.
"The bus route through the new estate and the bus gate at the end of Inwood Road will happen at some stage – but there are so many unknowns."
Cavanna Homes did not respond to Mr Phillips' allegations regarding the future of the existing site.
A spokesperson said: "We have responsibility for phase three of the Centenary Heights development, which is currently under public consultation, and we welcome feedback from the local community. Understandably, we cannot comment on the other phases."
Cavanna Homes plans to lodge a formal planning application with Somerset Council, incorporating all residents' comments, by Christmas.
The council is expected to deliver a formal decision on the proposals by the summer of 2026 – with such a determination expected to be made publicly by its planning committee north (which manages major applications within the former Sedgemoor area).
Should permission be granted, building work is expected to commence on site in 2027. Martin Grant Homes has been contacted by the Local Democracy Reporting Service for comment.