'Minging' former Taunton council HQ to become 111 NHS flats

Somerset Council sold off C Block of County Hall (located at the southern end of The Crescent) in March 2025, with the proceeds being used to fund front-line services.

Prime PLC, a specialist developer of health and care property, could redevelop the 4,600-metre building, put forward revised plans in November 2025 to turn the block into 111 flats, which will be geared towards new staff being recruited to Musgrove Park Hospital and other nearby NHS services.

The council's planning committee west (which handles major applications within the former Somerset West and Taunton area) has now given the conversion plans its blessing - despite concerns about parking levels and how "cramped" the new flats will be.

The 111 flats will be arranged over eight floors, comprising 99 one-bedroom studio apartments, six two-person apartments and six three-person flats.

Artist's impression of 111 flats within the former C Block of County Hall on The Crescent in Taunton (Image: AHR)

The average studio apartment will have just under 25 sq m of available floor space and will include a bathroom and kitchen/ dining area.

Communal laundry facilities will be provided for the new tenants, with a new lift shaft being installed to bring the 1960s building up to the necessary fire safety standards.

Only ten car parking spaces will be provided on site in an underground car park, with the expectation that the majority of staff will walk, cycle or carpool to Musgrove Park Hospital, which is around half a mile or 15 minutes' walk away.

Richard Baum, the head of strategic planning at the Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, laid out the need for this development when the planning committee west convened in Taunton on Tuesday afternoon (June 23).

He explained: "There is an urgent and growing need for high-quality and affordable accommodation for NHS staff.

Richard Baum, head of strategic planning at the Somerset NHS Foundation Trust (Image: Daniel Mumby)

"We continue to face sustained workforce pressures; we are actively trying to recruit new staff all the time at Musgrove, whether that's newly qualified staff, experienced staff or trainees.

"One of the issues we currently face is that there isn't enough access to suitable housing. We regularly see people accept roles and then struggle to find accommodation that they can afford, and others decline roles altogether because there isn't sufficient housing in the local area that they can afford.

"When we recruit staff early in their years, they move around geographically a lot. They require accommodation that’s flexible and affordable, and the traditional private rental market doesn’t provide that.

"This development addresses a clear gap that we have and enables staff to live locally in a way that is affordable to them, so that they can remain in their roles, train up in the NHS and keep delivering patient care locally here in Somerset.

"This will allow people to come into our organisation, settle quickly and reduce the pressure they have with commuting. This is an ideal and highly sustainable location."

The new flats are expected to see a high turnover of tenants, with entry-level NHS staff living there as they train at the hospital and then buying or renting larger properties locally as they move up the various salary bands.

Councillor Andy Hadley (Conservative, Minehead) described the plans as "a great idea" but questions whether the development would lead to parking issues on the neighbouring streets.

He said: "Yes, people won’t used their cars to go to work, but most people do own a car. What is being done to stop the local area being snarled up with 111 cars all day long?"

Councillor Nick O'Donnell (Liberal Democrat, Rowbarton and Staplegrove) shared Mr Hadley's concerns over the parking, and said he was sceptical as to whether the flats would be big enough to provide the tenants with a decent quality of life.

He said: "When I was looking at the plans, I was quite concerned about the living space - 24 to 27 sq m, which is 12 sq m below what is marketable.

Musgrove Park Hospital on Parkfield Drive in Taunton (Image: Google Maps)

“If you’re a student living at university, it’s probably more than enough room, but then in halls of residence you’ve got a separate kitchen space. I just think it‘s going to be a big cramped.

"These flats aren’t that much bigger than the average sized hotel room."

Councillor Caroline Ellis (Lib Dem, Bishop's Hull and Taunton West) praised the plans, arguing it would tidy up the appearance of the building and avoid building further on greenfield sites on the edge of the town.

She said: "It’s good to be using a brownfield site of this kind. We've got to be mindful that every single dwelling on a brownfield site, at an accessible location for the town centre, is one less that has to go on precious green space.

"This is serving a burning social and community need, because if Musgrove cannot attract a decent workforce, then we are going to miss out majorly [sic].

Councillor Caroline Ellis at the Goodland Garden footbridge site in Taunton town centre (Image: Daniel Mumby)

"This is very much starter, 'meanwhile' housing, to make sure that we remove barriers to the labour market, so people can just get their feet under the table and get started. I can't see why we would be objecting to this.

"C Block is a minger building - you wouldn't build that nowadays, would you? - and this might make it slightly less minging."

Councillor Norman Cavill (Conservative, Monkton and North Curry) agreed, stating: "Quite frankly, a change in the appearance of this building is highly desirable.

"The accommodation is much needed for the hospital, the college and the nurses training at the latter. I don’t think there will be a lack of customers for a long time."

The committee voted unanimously to approve the plans after just over an hour's debate, meaning that construction could begin before Christmas.