NEW affordable homes will become available in the run-up to Christmas as a major Somerset development enters its next phase.

C. G. Fry is currently constructing the Jurston Fields development in Wellington, comprising 650 homes north of the A38 West Buckland Road.

The developer has partnered with housing association LiveWest to deliver the affordable homes within the site, with 50 such homes being delivered as part of phase two.

Of these, 19 have currently been completed and the remaining 31 will be delivered in the late-autumn and winter.

In addition to the new homes, the Jurston Fields site will include retail units, a new primary school (being delivered by Somerset County Council), public open spaces and a community woodland.

The development lies a short distance from Junction 26 of the M5 (which will shortly be upgraded) and the Westpark 26 services, which includes the recently-constructed Costa Coffee and McDonald’s outlets.

Outline permission for the entire scheme was granted in December 2015, with detailed plans for the first two phases (comprising 193 homes, two commercial units and a “central square” near the planned school) being approved in August 2017.

Plans for phase three of the development – comprising 190 homes – were approved by Somerset West and Taunton Council in July 2020, with each garage including an electric vehicle charging point and all homes being equipped with fibre broadband.

The 50 affordable homes being delivered by LiveWest range from one- to four-bedroom properties.

Development director Gareth Jones said: “With significant demand for housing across the region, LiveWest’s primary focus is to deliver new and affordable homes.

“This development has been important in giving local people an opportunity to rent or buy an affordable home, and Jurston Fields is a good development which is having a positive impact on the town.

Somerset County Gazette: Entrance To The Jurston Fields Development On The A38 West Buckland Road In Wellington, Pictured In September 2020. CREDIT: Daniel Mumby. Free to use for all BBC wire partners.

“It is great to be working once again with C. G. Fry on this development and it’s fantastic to see new residents move in.”

LiveWest recently completed work on a development of 85 low-cost homes on the former Powrmatic factory site on Winterhay Lane in Ilminster.

It has pledged to deliver more than 600 low-cost rural homes across Somerset by 2024.

C. G. Fry managing director Philip Fry added: “It is great to be working once again with LiveWest and to be able to provide much-needed affordable and market housing.

“This is a fantastically-located site, close to all the facilities of Wellington, and it is an opportunity for us to showcase what we do, in providing well designed and built houses on this unique site.”