Revised proposals for a major housing development south of the A39 Quantock Road in Bridgwater have seen a significant reduction in the number of affordable homes planned. Persimmon Homes Severn Valley, which received outline planning permission in March 2021 to build up to 354 homes, now plans to deliver only 323 homes across two phases.
The first phase will consist of 111 homes, including a new junction forming a signalised crossroads on Quantock Road, while the second phase includes 212 homes. A green buffer strip will be preserved between the development and Quantock Road Cemetery, potentially allowing for future cemetery expansion.
Most notably, the share of affordable housing will be cut from an original 30% to just 10%, equating to 32 affordable properties in total—a sharp decline from earlier plans that complied with former Sedgemoor district policies. This reduction follows a financial viability assessment declaring the project economically unfeasible at the higher affordable housing quota.
In addition to lowering affordable housing, Persimmon has proposed a £2 million reduction in funding for new local school places, decreasing its contribution from over £4.2 million to just over £2.2 million. These funds were originally intended to support a new primary school within the adjacent Centenary Heights development.
To mitigate these changes, Somerset Council has included a “claw back mechanism” in the draft legal agreement, allowing unspent funds from road improvements—such as £414,000 allocated for the Dunball roundabout upgrade—to be redirected towards providing affordable housing elsewhere in Bridgwater.
Local councils have voiced concerns. Bridgwater Town Council criticized the lack of a comprehensive transport plan supporting bus services 14 and 15 and questioned the plan for two separate play areas, citing increased costs and safety issues. Durleigh Parish Council objected to the absence of a commitment to improve the public footpath linking the development to Holford Road, emphasizing the need for a safe, surfaced, and well-lit route for pedestrians, especially children traveling to local schools.
The Somerset Council planning committee north is scheduled to review and decide on these amended proposals at a meeting in Bridgwater on November 11 at 2 pm. For those unable to attend, the meeting will be live-streamed via Microsoft Teams.