Revised plans for 915 new Taunton homes and school unveiled

The Staplegrove urban extension will eventually deliver 1,628 homes, commercial space, a primary school and a new spine road between the A358 Staplegrove Road and Taunton Road, at the north-western edge of Somerset's county town.

Bloor Homes South West is responsible for delivering the Staplegrove West element (comprising 713 homes and commercial units between the A358 and Whitmore Lane), with construction currently under way on the first 242 houses within the newly-named Quantock Park estate along with the western end of the spine road.

Following a public consultation in late-April, Stonewater and PM Asset Management has published revised plans for the Staplegrove East development - with Somerset Council expected to make a decision shortly after Christmas.

The Staplegrove East site will deliver 915 "high-quality, energy-efficient" homes, concentrated between Whitmore Lane and Taunton Road to the north of Corkscrew Lane.

Plans for 915 homes, employment space and primary school at the Staplegrove East site in Taunton (Image: S + C Architects Ltd)

Of these homes, 15 per cent will be affordable (the equivalent of 137 properties), but this could rise to 30 per cent (275 properties) if additional funding can be secure from Homes England.

The spine road running through the site will be completed as the homes are built out, with a new signalised crossroads being constructed on Taunton Road.

A 'local centre' will be delivered in the heart of the development, which could include a convenience store, creative workspaces and a community hall, with "flexible commercial space" being provided for cafés and restaurants with the potential for residential or office accommodation above.

A new primary school with enough space for 420 pupils will be delivered at the western edge of the site, with new allotments, sports pitches and woodlands being delivered as part of "extensive open space" at the edges of the development.

Numerous attenuation ponds will be installed south of the spine road, shifting water from the development site towards new wetlands south of Corkscrew Lane (which were approved by the council's planning committee west in March 2025).

Matthew Crucefix, group director of development at Stonewater, said: "Public consultation plays an important role in shaping proposals, and we are grateful to everyone who took the time to share their views with us.

"We are particularly pleased to be able to help deliver a long-standing community aspiration to improve walking and cycling connections between Kingston St Mary and Taunton, as it shows how development can help local communities realise long-held ambitions, with infrastructure improvements that benefit both existing and future residents.”

Kingston St Mary Parish Council and the Kingston Area Pedestrian and Cycle Campaign (KAPACC) have been campaigning since 2017 for safer walking and cycling links between Taunton and the village, which lies on the southern edge of the Quantock Hills national landscape (formerly area of outstanding natural beauty, or AONB).

Indicative illustration of new homes within the Staplegrove East site in Taunton (Image: Stonewater)

Following the consultation - which was attended by more than 220 people - the development will provide the southernmost section of a new active travel route, which could be extended further north over a period of years as funding and landowner co-operation is secured.

David Stripp from Kingston St Mary Parish Council said: "Stonewater’s attitude of collaboration in amending their plans to tie in with our planned route from Kingston St Mary, and to offer additional possibilities has been really encouraging.

Their team really listened to our request and were prompt in responding with positive action. This is what genuine engagement and consultation looks like.

"Planning such a route depends on agreement by multiple landowners so is a slow process, but this support from Stonewater is a very positive step forward and moves us closer. We are extremely grateful."

Indicative illustration of new primary school within the Staplegrove East site in Taunton (Image: Stonewater)

In addition to the revised cycle connection, the plans have been amended to potentially include more bungalows and ensure vehicle speeds both within and near the development are reduced.

Full details of the revised plans can be viewed by visiting www.staplegrove-east.co.uk.

Mark Yadegar, managing director of PM Asset Management, added: "Staplegrove East has an important role to play in meeting Taunton’s future housing needs and we look forward to continuing to work with Somerset Council and the wider community as the proposals progress."

The council is expected to make a decision on the revised proposals early in the new year.

Due to their scale and significance, all decisions on applications relating to either element of the Staplegrove site will be taken in public by its planning committee west (which handles major applications within the former Somerset West and Taunton area), rather than by planning officers through their delegated powers.