AN employee at Taunton train station has started a new community project to utilise unused space at the station as a community garden.

The proposed site for the garden is at the end of platform five, where currently there sits a large outdoor space that has a lot of opportunity.

Paul Burch, an employee of Great Western Railway came up with the idea for the project after realising there was potential to use the derelict space next to platform five.

"Everyone here at the station is fully behind this project, I realised there was an opportunity to do something with the space we have and so I suggested a community garden.

Somerset County Gazette: The proposed site for the community garden at Taunton Station. Pictures: Newsquest

"It will be available for both staff and station users and GWR and Network Rail have approved the use of the space after a site inspection recently, so we have the go ahead.

"Myself and the staff here just want to give the people of Taunton another space for them to relax," Paul said.

The difficult issue from the garden is perhaps the access to it.

Paul said: "The garden will be available to everyone, we will have to place an entrance through the station and we are working on ideas for that, but it will definitely be accessible to all."

The current plan is that the garden will predominantly be made up of raised beds, with a gravel zen garden created at the front of the area.

However all of this is up to consultation as Paul is looking for like-minded individuals to provide input on the plans and the gardens.

He has now set up a group of the volunteers who have already come forward offering their help on this project and is looking to hold the first group meeting in the near future.

The group will help to build, develop and maintain the new garden.

If you are interested in the railway, interested in gardening or even wanting to assist in the community project, you can express your interest and contact me Paul via his email at Paul.Burch@gwr.com.