THE Taunton area isn’t ready for even more new homes, it is claimed, as a developer announces plans for 2,500 on fields on the outskirts of town.

The Persimmon Homes South West proposals are for an extension to a 900-home development currently being built in Monkton Heathfield.

The company claims the project tagged on to the Heathfield Gardens scheme in Hardys Road, which would start in 2018 and take 10 years to complete, would create 6,000 “direct and indirect” jobs.

Managing director Simon Perks hopes a planning application will be submitted to Taunton Deane Borough Council later this year.

Mr Perks said: “The exact layout and the finer details of the project are still to be decided, but we can reveal that we’re looking at 2,500 houses and a commercial area.

“All of the houses will be built on land which has been allocated for much-needed new houses.”

A percentage of the properties will be affordable homes.

But several people think plans to build thousands of new homes in the district, many of them in the Monkton Heathfield area, is storing up problems.

A new primary school with two classes per year opened earlier this year to cope with the influx of children to the area.

Somerset County Gazette:
The land at West Monkton

But not everyone is happy with the idea of more homes – among comments on this story at countygazette.co.uk were: Alex Cox: “An already congested and in a lot of ways stagnating town is not in need of more housing. It is in need of better infrastructure and business development.”

Julie Mayo: “I don’t understand why build more homes – it’s silly, especially ruining countryside.”

Jake Stevens: “The roads are struggling with the population that Taunton has already so building further homes will put further strain on the roads, which is ridiculous.”

‘nikki18’: “Taunton cannot cope with all of these families flooding the area. Most evenings it is standing room only at the hospital and schools are over-subscribed. When will some common sense be shown by the local council, or can they not view the area, due to the roads being congested?”

‘Signalpost’: “Where are all these new people going to work and how will they get there on our already congested roads?”

A lone voice supporting the proposed Persimmon development was ‘Jamesey’, who said: “This is good news. But, of course, infrastructure improvements are required to support the development.

“Do those talking about oversubscribed schools and services have any evidence to back up their claims?

“A new primary school has just been built at Monkton Heathfield.

“I also can’t understand the logic of those complaining about the likely cost of the houses.

“Houses are expensive because there is not enough supply. Increase the supply and prices will fall.”