MORE than 50 new homes could soon be delivered on one of the last green spaces between a major Bridgwater employment site and the M5 motorway, writes Daniel Mumby, Local Democracy Reporter.

Hallam Land Management and Persimmon Homes Severn Valley have outline planning permission to deliver 2,000 homes between the A39 Bath Road and the Bristol to Exeter railway line – along with 1,200 sq m of retail space, leisure facilities, a new primary school and other facilities.

Hallam successfully secured outline permission in November 2020 to build up to 57 homes and a retail outlet on the corner of Ascot Drive and King’s Road, a short distance from the crucial A38 Bristol Road.

Persimmon has now applied for amended permission from Sedgemoor District Council, reducing the number of homes to 53.

Bridgwater Mercury: Plans For 53 Homes On Kings Road In Bridgwater. CREDIT: Persimmon Homes Severn Valley. Free to use for all BBC wire partners.

Much of the “north-east Bridgwater allocation”, which was identified within the council’s Local Plan, has already either been delivered or is currently under construction.

The council is expected to make decisions shortly on two additional parcels of land within the allocation – namely 98 homes south of the Willow Man sculpture, and a further 77 homes on the site of the Sydenham Barn wedding venue.

A further 80 low-cost homes are being delivered on the eastern side of King’s Road, following a £15M investment by Vistry Partnerships.

This most recent site, to the north-west of the King’s Drive roundabout, lies near the existing Mulberrys industrial unit and the main route into the Morrisons distribution centre.

The homes will range from two- to four-bedrooms in size, with a landscaping buffer being provided to minimise noise from the nearby railway line.

Of the 53 new homes planned for the site, 16 will be affordable – meeting the council’s target of 30 per cent affordable housing for any new development of ten homes or more.

A spokesman for Persimmon said: “The overall layout and appearance for the proposed scheme… is considered to be in-keeping with the rest of the Bridgwater development site, which is largely already built out

“It is considered that the quantum of development proposed is appropriate for this parcel of land and ensures that sufficient public open space and landscape buffer are provided.

“The parking provision meets Somerset County Council’s parking standards with an average of two spaces per dwelling.”

The district council is expected to make a decision on the latest Persimmon plans by the early-summer.

Separate proposals for the retail element of the site have yet to come forward; however, Tesco indicated in July 2021 that it was interested in opening a store on the site by the end of 2022.