200 homes to be built on Bridgwater's cattle market site

Sedgemoor planners granted permission for the Housing Guild's build off Bath Road at a meeting of its development control committee on Tuesday (December 17).

The development includes a mix of 112 two, three and four-bed houses, and 88 one and two-bed flats, on the empty market site and a large field to the north.

John Taylor, chairman of the Exeter-based Housing Guild, told the Mercury: “We were very pleased to learn that our proposed scheme on the old cattlemarket site at Bridgwater received planning approval.

“The new estate will contain one and two-bed flats, as well as two, three and four-bed houses - all to be leased to Sedgemoor District Council and funded by a national Pension Fund.

“The layout contains several play areas and open spaces and our budget covers a wide range of amenity charges.

“We hope to start on site in March 2014 and complete the scheme in its entirety by the Autumn 2015.”

There will be 249 parking spaces, as well as 419 bike parking spaces and at least 30 of the homes would be classed as affordable.

However, concerns were raised about the impact of the scheme on the Bath Road and Bristol Road areas.

But Cllr Gill Slocombe said she was the only member to vote against the development. She told the Mercury: “I felt the road infrastructure was not suited to this development.

“I think the council has been prudent with the conditions placed on the application, but I just couldn't vote in favour because I believe we need to re-think the road infrastructure.

“There's already a lot of development in this town and I think we need to consider the effect on traffic in Bridgwater.”

Permission was granted subject to a revised travel plan and planning conditions including a section 106 agreement covering: education, highways works, affordable housing, public open spaces, play facilities, formal sports provision, flood defence and phasing.