A public meeting will be held on April 24 to allow Bridgwater residents to give their views on revised plans for 750 homes near the M5.
Edward Ware (Bridgwater) Ltd. put forward plans in October 2023 for a major development between Bower Lane and the M5, comprising up to 750 houses, a primary school, and a community facility.
The Bristol-based developer has now put forward amended proposals for the site following a viability assessment which concluded that delivering more than 200 affordable homes within the site is not viable.
Bridgwater Without Parish Council will stage a special planning meeting on Thursday April 24 to give residents the opportunity to have their say on the revised proposals, before Somerset Council makes a final decision by the end of the year.
The development forms part of the East Bridgwater housing allocation within the Sedgemoor Local Plan, which runs from the Bridgwater Community Hospital site across the A372 Westonzoyland Road to the bottom of Dunwear Lane.
The Edward Ware site lies at the northern end of the East Bridgwater allocation, between the Polden Bower special needs school and the Strawberry Grange development of 260 homes currently being built out by Countryside Partnerships.
The new homes, if approved, will be delivered in three phases from north to south:
– 260 homes in phase one, near Crow Lane (between December 2025 and October 2030)
– 296 homes in phase two, near the Bower Inn (between April 2027 and April 2031)
– 194 homes in phase three, near the Strawberry Grange estate (between December 2028 and December 2032)
Under the Sedgemoor Local Plan, any new development of ten homes or more must provide 30 per cent affordable housing, meaning 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, meaning 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 will be completed between September 2026 and March 2029, with southbound traffic moving 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.
A new primary school will be delivered near Bower Lane between the phase two and three parcels by July 2030. A community facility is also being created in the same area, with a noise bund and acoustic fence being erected to reduce the noise from the motorway.
A spokesman for Thrive Architects (representing the applicant) said: “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.
“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.”
The special meeting of Bridgwater Without Parish Council will be held 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), a final decision will be taken by Somerset Council’s planning committee north by the Autumn.
Image source: Thrive Architects
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