Former Taunton nursery could become extra parking for Somerset cricket club

Taunton Deane Borough Council operated a plant nursery on Mount Street in Taunton until 2006, when the operation relocated to new premises on Stoke Road at a cost of £450,000.

The property and surrounding land has remained vacant ever since, with reports of badger setts in the grounds and reports of rough sleeping in the local area.

Somerset West and Taunton Council has now proposed re-purposing part of the site to provide additional parking for Taunton Deane Cricket Club, which plays at the nearby Convent Field.

The Mount Street property is bordered by the cricket club (which rents its facilities from the council), Vivary Park, the Ellisfields Court retirement home and Ash Priors Road.

Councillor Mike Rigby teased plans for the site in a report which came before the full council in Taunton on September 6.

He said in his written report: “Following the supported application by Taunton Deane Cricket Club for some additional land for parking, and ongoing rough sleeping activity in the area, a further review of the former Mount Street Nursery remainder land is under way.

“The site has been empty since closure of the former nursery in the mid-2000s and is considered to be unsuitable for building development due to planning restrictions (i.e. traffic on Mount Street) and flood issues.

“The site is largely overgrown and has developed ecological considerations, including the possibility of badger setts.”

Mr Rigby said the council intended to grant the cricket club a long-term lease for new car parking at the north-western corner of the Mount Street site.

Officers will undertake a survey to assess how the remainder of the site may be brought back into public use, including additional tree planting.

Both the outcome of the survey and the car park lease are expected to come back before the full council for final approval before the council is officially replaced by the new unitary Somerset Council in April 2023.