THE delivery more than 500 new homes near the M5 in Bridgwater could be delayed after the site was put on the open market.

Sedgemoor District Council’s development committee voted in February 2023 to approve “preposterous” outline plans for up to 530 homes at Folletts Farm on Dunwear Lane, put forward jointly by Lance Alec Rainey House and Hannick Homes Developments Ltd.

After nearly two years of negotiations between the developers and Somerset Council (which replaced the district council in April 2023), the legal agreements surrounding this major developments were finally signed off shortly before Christmas 2024 – including the level of contributions to Bridgwater’s local services.

But any hope that these homes will quickly see the light of day have been dealt a blow after the site was put up for sale.

The site is being marketed by Cooper and Tanner and is described as “a flagship development opportunity” for Bridgwater, comprising around 21 hectares (51 acres) south of the A372 Westonzoyland Road.

The successful bidder for the land will be bound by all of the commitments contained in the signed Section 106 agreement with the council – including the delivery of 53 affordable homes and numerous pedestrian and cycling links towards the town centre.

A spokesman for Cooper and Tanner said: “This site benefits from good access, within five miles, of the Gravity Smart Campus, which is confirmed to be the home of the UK’s new gigafactory.

“Agratas (Tata Group’s global battery business) has invested £4bn in building their biggest electric vehicle battery manufactory facility which is set to bring 4,000 jobs to Somerset.

“Access to the site is from the newly-constructed roundabout on the A372.”

Potential buyers are invited to bid for the site by March 10, with interviews expected to take place by the end of the month.

The successful party will be expected to submit a reserved matters application to Somerset Council, which will specify the design and layout of the new homes.

Only once this has been approved, along with the designs of active travel links to and from the site, can construction begin.

A spokesman for Somerset Council started earlier this month: “The developers have three years from December 2024 to submit reserved matters applications and then, under this planning permission, the development must commence before the expiration of five years from December 2024 (December 2029), or before the expiration of two years from the date of approval of the last reserved matters approval.”

For more information on the sale, visit www.cooperandtanner.co.uk.