MORE than 200 new houses could be built only a short distance from the site of Taunton’s new country park.

Taunton Deane Borough Council announced in April 2018 that it would be purchasing land to the east of Nerrols Farm for a country park, as part of efforts to create a garden community in Monkton Heathfield.

The new park, which is roughly the size of 29 football pitches, will be created on the north side of the A3259 Yallands Hill between Taunton and Monkton Heathfield.

As work proceeds on creating the new facility, David Wilson Homes has submitted plans for 237 homes on Bossington Drive, just to the west of the country park site.

These plans form phase two – known as the ‘Northern Quarter’ of the wider Nerrols Farm development, which could deliver up to 630 homes in total after outline planning approval was granted in 2012.

David Wilson Homes has sought to assure the council that the development will maintain a landscape buffer to the east, to protect both the country park site and the amenity of the proposed residents.

A spokesperson said: “The proposals maintain the now existing landscaped/ woodland buffer to the north and east (referred to as the ‘green necklace’), which delivers part of the bat and other wildlife mitigation strategies.

“It also incorporates a sustainable drainage system, so as to ensure that green field levels of surface water drainage are maintained and that this is done in a strategic and joined-up way across the whole site.”

Members of the public are invited to submit comments on the application via the council’s website – www.tauntondeane.gov.uk – by Friday (February 15).

The council will make a final decision on the plans by April 23.