THIS image gives an idea of how the derelict former Taunton livestock market site could look within three years.

Developer St Modwen is about to submit a fresh outline planning application for Firepool after previous proposals were rejected last summer.

The latest layout sees fewer parking spaces and an enclosed pedestrian boulevard running from the station to Priory Bridge Road, with crossings over and under the bridge, linking to Coal Orchard and the town centre.

As well as several shops and 200 flats and houses, the scheme could include a food store and associated parking beside the access road at the top of the illustration, a cinema shown as the building with red tapering off Priory Bridge Road, with restaurants and pubs fronting onto the river and potentially a gym or leisure facility behind.

The previously criticised proposal of a single large commercial car park has been replaced by three smaller distinct but linked parking areas.

On the other side of the river, alongside the existing Viridor block, there are proposals for more offices, 49 homes and even a hotel as part of the multi-million pound development.

St Modwen senior development manager Peter Davies stressed the images are purely "artistic" at this stage and more detailed plans would be worked out once occupants signed up to take space on the site.

Somerset County Gazette:

St Modwen's Peter Davies on the derelict Firepool site.

Mr Davies and his team have drawn up the plans following discussions with planners at landowner Taunton Deane Borough Council, who rejected the previous application last August, claiming it looked more like an out-of-town shopping centre and car park.

Mr Davies, who has held talks with interested occupants, said: "There is now more enclosure to the link between the station and Priory Bridge and car park numbers are down a bit.


READ MORE: Planning application for Firepool in Taunton rejected


"The scheme would complement rather than compete with the existing town centre.

"We're aiming for the outline application to go to the planning committee in June or July "I'm optimistic about the outcome - the key difference this time is that the planners are supportive of the changes we have made and I'm hoping that will mean a recommendation for approval this time.

"We've presented it to stakeholders and the general consensus is it's a better scheme.

"Even for the most pessimistic, one would like to think this must be an exciting prospect and certainly when compared to the current concrete."

Somerset County Gazette:

If the plans are approved, St Modwen would then have to agree a section 106 'planning gain' contribution and a number of compulsory purchase orders would be slapped on plots not owned by the council ahead of a detailed application later this year or early next.

"We're hoping to bring forward the development sooner rather than later, subject to occupier interest," added Mr Davies.

"We're looking to start the development in 2018 and hopefully everything could be finished by early 2020."