MORE than 7,000 new homes could be built across the West Somerset, Bridgwater and Wellington area in 2025 if plans are approved.

The last 12 months have seen numerous large housing developments approved across the county – including 511 homes on the Bridgwater Gateway site, with hundreds in the pipeline for green space around Wellington.

But further sites will still need to be approved over the coming 12 months to ease the housing crisis, ensuring both existing residents and newcomers to the area have a place to call home.

In light of this, this list of around 22 sites which could be approved in 2025, delivering a combined total of 7,123 homes.

Please note the list below is primarily for sites where plans have already been submitted, or where appeals have been lodged with the Planning Inspectorate – it is not intended as an exhaustive list of any sizeable housing development that may come on stream in Somerset in the next year.

It should also be noted that the delivery of many of these developments may be held up by the need for additional phosphate mitigation as a result of the Dutch N court case – so while these homes may be approved, it may take longer to deliver them.

With that in mind, here are 50 major housing developments which could be given the green light some time in 2025

  • Monkton Heathfield urban extension (phase two), Monkton Heathfield, Taunton (1,450 homes plus employment units, school, bus and ride facility and A38 relief road): Persimmon Homes South West and Redrow Homes put forward joint plans in December 2021 for phase two of the Monkton Heathfield urban extension, which will deliver new homes at Taunton’s north-eastern edge along with employment sites, a new school and a relief road. A decision on the plans has been repeated delayed as the developers negotiate with the council’s planning officers over the layout of the new phase and the trigger points at which various amenities will be delivered. A decision is now expected in the spring of 2024 – assuming no further deferrals are negotiated, or the developers do not grow tired of waiting and lodge an appeal
  • West Woolavington site, Woolavington (1,400 homes plus primary school, mixed-use local centre and mobility hub, football pitches and cycle routes): Persimmon Homes Severn Valley has published initial proposals for this major new development which would see the village of Woolavington virtually double in size. The new homes would stretch from the Gravity enterprise zone on Woolavington Road to the existing sports pitches on Crancombe Lane, with a range of new amenities being provided. Public consultation events are expected to take place early in the new year before a formal planning application is submitted
  • Bower Lane, Bridgwater (750 homes plus primary school, community hub and spine road): This parcel of land forms the final part of the East Bridgwater housing allocation, which stretches from the A39 Bath Road to the bottom of Dunwear Lane. In addition to the new homes, a new primary school will be delivered in one of the later proposed phases of the development, along with local shops and cycle routes. The spine road will run from the A39 to the Strawberry Grange site (which is currently being delivered by Countryside Partnerships) and a new roundabout on the A372 Westonzoyland Road, which is currently under construction.

Artist's impression of 66-bed care home on Blacknell Lane in Crewkerne (Graphic: LNT Care Developments Ltd)
Artist's impression of 66-bed care home on Blacknell Lane in Crewkerne (Graphic: LNT Care Developments Ltd) ( (Graphic: LNT Care Developments Ltd))

  • B3227 Taunton Road in Norton Fitzwarren (400 homes plus relief road): Crest Nicholson South West and West of England Developments (Taunton) Ltd. have put forward plans for 400 new homes on the Ford Farm site in Norton Fitzwarren, north of the railway line. As part of the development, the two firms will complete the construction of Great Western Way at the site’s southern edge, taking pressure off the B3227 between Taunton and Wiveliscombe. Land near the western edge is being left vacant in case West Somerset Railway wishes to bring its former halt back into use
  • A39 Priest Street in Williton (350 homes plus commercial space and allotments): The Wyndham Estate secured outline planning permission in November 2021 to deliver up to 350 new homes on the A39 Priest Street at the western edge of Williton, along with commercial space, leisure facilities and public open space. The legal agreements between the landowner and Somerset Council were not signed until late-February 2024, with Lovell Homes subsequently acquiring the development site. The Tamworth-based developer is currently consulting on amended proposals for the site – with a promise that the first homes could begin being built as early as the summer of 2025 if the council grants permission
  • Exeter Road, Rockwell Green (315 homes plus convenience store and allotments): Gladman Developments has put forward plans for 315 new homes and a convenience store at the western edge of this village near Wellington, between Exeter Road and the railway line. A new convenience store to serve the homes will be provided near Exeter Road, with existing footpaths running through the site being enhanced to provide a link to other village services via the Dobree Park estate. This application will be settled by a public inquiry in early-March following an appeal to the Planning Inspectorate.

Plans for 315 homes and convenience store on Exeter Road in Rockwell Green (Graphic: FPCR)
Plans for 315 homes and convenience store on Exeter Road in Rockwell Green (Graphic: FPCR) (Plans for 315 homes and convenience store on Exeter Road in Rockwell Green (Graphic: FPCR))
  • A38 Nowers Lane in Wellington (250 homes): Persimmon Homes South West has put forward plans for 250 new homes immediately next to a planned nature reserve – with a promise that significant green space will be provided to complete the town’s green wedge. The new properties will be delivered on land either side of Popes Lane, with a new access being created onto the A38 Nowers Lane. The new homes will concentrated within the western half of the development site, near the existing properties on Barrington Way and the Ryelands Business Park
  • Parsonage Farm, B3191 Brendon Road, Watchet (230 homes plus commercial space, orchard and allotments): The Wyndham Estate has published plans for 230 homes at this farm which was used by the organisers of the Watchet Musical Festival, which was last staged in 2022. In addition to the new homes, the existing farm buildings on the western edge of the site will be converted to provide offices and industrial units. The homes will be concentrated in the northern half of the development, with the existing public footpaths through the site being enhanced and green space near the existing homes on Brendon Road being maintained
  • Jurston Fields, A38 West Buckland Road, Wellington (190 homes): C. G. Fry was granted outline permission in December 2015 to construct the Jurston Fields development north of the A38 West Buckland Road in Wellington, consisting of up to 650 homes, employment units, a primary school and a community wood. The delivery of phase three (comprising 190 homes) has been stymied by the ongoing phosphates crisis, with the developer lodging legal challenges with the Planning Inspectorate, the High Court and the Court of Appeal – failing on all three occasions. The developer has now asked the Supreme Court – the final court of appeal for UK legal cases – to consider the matter, with a decision expected by the end of February

Plans for 190 homes on Jurston Farm site in Wellington (Graphic: C G Fry - 090420)
Plans for 190 homes on Jurston Farm site in Wellington (Graphic: C G Fry - 090420) (Plans for 190 homes on Jurston Farm site in Wellington (Graphic: C G Fry - 090420))
  • Cannington Bypass, Cannington (160 homes): Strongvox Homes is currently constructing the Cricketer Farm development on the A39 in Nether Stowey, with planning permission being in place for 109 homes and permission being sought for a further 58 to the north. The Taunton-based developer has now published plans to deliver 160 new homes in the neighbouring village of Cannington, near Bridgwater, located on the bypass linking the village to the Hinkley Point C construction site. The proposed development lies on the eastern side of the Cannington bypass, being bordered by Sandy Lane to the north, Chad’s Hill to the east and Withiel Drive to the south.
  • Cheddon Road, Taunton (150 homes): Gladman Developments was originally refused permission for 180 homes on this site in July 2019, with Somerset West and Taunton Council’s planning committee ruling it would damage the natural environment and was outside the Taunton settlement boundary. The developer submitted the same plans for the same number of homes in October 2020, but has subsequently reduced the number to 150. If a decision is not taken soon, the Congleton-based developer may lodge an appeal on the grounds of non-determination (i.e. the council failing to come to a decision within a reasonable amount of time).

Revised plans for phase two of the Monkton Heathfield urban extension in Taunton (Graphic: EDP)
Revised plans for phase two of the Monkton Heathfield urban extension in Taunton (Graphic: EDP) (Revised plans for phase two of the Monkton Heathfield urban extension in Taunton (Graphic: EDP))
  • Comeytrowe Road, Taunton (125 homes): BSL Strategic Ltd. has put forward plans to deliver a further 125 homes on Comeytrowe Road, on agricultural land to the south of the Queen’s College campus. The lies between Comeytrowe Way and College Way, with both roads currently being connected by a public right of way which runs behind the existing homes on New Road and Bradford Close. Under the proposals, new access points will be created onto both roads, with a spine road running through the centre of the new estate
  • Hartnells Farm, A3259 Yallands Hill, Monkton Heathfield, Taunton (90 homes): Persimmon Homes South West is currently constructing the Hartnells Farm housing development on the A3259 Monkton Heathfield Road, at the northern edge of the Monkton Heathfield urban extension. The development will eventually comprise a total of 320 homes, with outline planning permission being granted by Taunton Deane Borough Council in November 2015. The Exeter-based development has now submitted proposals for the final 90 homes (dubbed ‘phase four’) – with Somerset Council expected to make a decision on the plans early in the new year.
  • Dene Road, Cotford St. Luke (80 homes plus allotments): Hallam Land Management secured permission on appeal in February 2023 to build 80 new homes and a takeaway on Dene Road in Cotford St. Luke, around 15 minutes’ drive from the centre of Taunton. This site was sold off to Lovell Homes in February for a cool £25m, with the London-based developer intending to begin construction of the new homes within the site will begin in the summer of 2025. Hallam Land Management has now published plans for a further 80 homes north of the Lovell Homes site – with Somerset Council expected to make a decision on the proposals in the early-spring.
Initial masterplan for 420 homes on the B3090 Oldford Hill in Frome (Graphic: Barton Willmore)
Initial masterplan for 420 homes on the B3090 Oldford Hill in Frome (Graphic: Barton Willmore) (Initial masterplan for 420 homes on the B3090 Oldford Hill in Frome (Graphic: Barton Willmore))

  • Exeter Road, Rockwell Green (72-bed care home): Bovis Homes and Linden Homes is currently delivering the Monument View housing development on Exeter Road in Rockwell Green, comprising a total of 205 properties. When the developers acquired the site from Gladman Developments (following a successful appeal in 2018), land was allocated within the site for a care home with up to 60 beds. Now Care UK Property Ltd., which is based in Colchester, has put forward plans for its first care home in Somerset, with a 72-bed facility being planned for this site
  • Cutliffe Road, Taunton (66-bed care home): Summerfield Developments are currently in the later stages of constructing the Killams Park development on the southern edge of Taunton, which will eventually comprise 315 homes. As part of the outline plans (which were approved by Taunton Deane Borough Council in December 2013), a parcel of land off Cutliffe Road in the northern section of the development was set aside for a new primary school. LNT Care Developments has now applied to build a 66-bed care home on this site instead – with Somerset Council expected to make a final decision on the plans by the summer.
  • Ham Road, Wellington (62-bed care home): Camelot Care (Somerset) Ltd. currently runs both the Camelot House and Camelot Lodge care homes, located to the north of the A38 Taunton Road on the eastern edge of Wellington. The Taunton-based care company has now applied to build an additional care home to the north of these sites, which will be specifically geared towards resident with dementia. The new facility will be accessed from Ham Road (in the neighbouring parish of West Buckland) and will provide up to 62 beds

Plans for 230 homes on the A30 Crewkerne Road in Chard - (Graphic: Gladman Developments)
Plans for 230 homes on the A30 Crewkerne Road in Chard - (Graphic: Gladman Developments) (Plans for 230 homes on the A30 Crewkerne Road in Chard - (Graphic: Gladman Developments))
Proposed site of 62-bed care home on Ham Road in Wellington (Image: Google Maps)
Proposed site of 62-bed care home on Ham Road in Wellington (Image: Google Maps) (Proposed site of 62-bed care home on Ham Road in Wellington (Image: Google Maps))
  • North Villas, Cotford St. Luke (52 homes): S. Notato Ltd. has applied to build 52 new homes immediately to the north of Dene Barton Community Hospital in the village of Cotford St. Luke. The site lies on the eastern side of North Villas between the community hospital and the existing homes on Luscombe Road. Following the successful appeal on the Dene Road site (comprising 80 homes and a takeaway), this site may be more likely to be approved – whether by councillors or planning inspectors
  • Orchard Grove (Comeytrowe Urban Extension), A38 Wellington Road, Taunton (51 homes): Numerous parcels of land within the site have already been built out within the ‘western neighbourhood’ of the Orchard Grove site. The developer has now submitted plans for 51 further homes at the north-eastern corner, near a recently-approved parcel of 70 properties. This is one of the last parcels which currently has phosphate mitigation in place – meaning the delivery of new homes could slow in the not-too-distant future
  • Poundstretcher site, 1 Bridge Street, Taunton (50 homes): The Poundstretcher store on the A3027 Bridge Street was demolished in September 2021, having closed its doors for good in August 2020, during the coronavirus pandemic. Acorn Homes launched a six-week consultation on the future of the site in October 2024, putting forward proposals to build up to 50 flats on the site along with several commercial units on the ground floor. Following the reopening of the riverside path in mid-November 2024, formal plans will be submitted by the early-spring
  • A359 Cuckoo Hill, Bruton (49 homes): This site is currently an agricultural field at the northern edge of Bruton, adjacent to the town’s cemetery and allotments. Access would be onto the A359, a short distance from the existing entrance to the Longcroft estate which is being delivered by the Acorn Property Group (the same company proposing the Brewham Road development). The majority of the new homes would be delivered by Strongvox Homes in the southern part of the site, with a sizeable area of public open space being created in the centre and an attenuation pond at the southern tip to reduce the risk of localised flooding
  • Former Somerset Bridge Primary School site, Hamp Road, Bridgwater (44 homes plus one office): 3C Commercial Ltd., which is based in Bradley Stoke, has made numerous attempts to build homes on the former Somerset Bridge school site on Hamp Bridge in Bridgwater. The former school site, which lies at the eastern end of Hamp Bridge, was badly damaged by fire in September 2019 – many years after the Somerset Bridge school relocated to its current site on Stockmoor Drive. The plans envision 44 new homes and an office for the site, with pedestrians and cyclists being able to access the town centre via the Bridgwater and Taunton Canal