Children in Taunton are currently unable to enjoy local cricket and rugby facilities due to delays caused by housing developers not completing necessary infrastructure, a local councillor has revealed. The Monkton Heathfield urban extension’s first phase, approved in January 2017, earmarked land south of the A38 relief road for sports pitches to benefit the expanding community.
In June 2024, West Monkton Parish Council proposed plans to develop a rugby pitch, cricket pitch, and BMX pump track on the designated land, complete with car parking and changing rooms near the existing access point. However, progress has been blocked because Persimmon Homes South West has yet to complete the access road from the Hyde Lane roundabout, crucial for reaching the site.
Persimmon Homes issued an apology and assured that efforts are underway to finish the road by the end of September.
During a full council meeting in Bridgwater on July 16, Councillor Norman Cavill, representing Monkton and North Curry, expressed his concerns. He highlighted that while some community benefits of the development—such as a 420-place primary school and community centre—have been delivered, promised employment spaces, sports facilities, and shops remain incomplete.
With approximately 1,500 new homes built, the area now houses around 500 children aged 7 to 17, many eager to join West Monkton Cricket Club and Taunton Rugby Football Club but currently without the pitches to accommodate them. Although the parish council agreed in August 2023 to take responsibility for delivering these facilities under a revised Section 106 agreement, planning permission remains pending and the access road is still unfinished.
Councillor Cavill stressed, “Without the road, and with no water, electricity, or drainage provided by the developer, the project is at a standstill despite the parish council making the fields available.”
Looking ahead, the council’s planning committee is preparing to review phase two of the Monkton Heathfield extension, known as Langaller Park, which will include 1,450 homes and a combined primary and secondary school. This phase has experienced extensive delays due to masterplan adjustments and is yet to receive final approval.
Cavill urged for robust enforcement to ensure developers meet their commitments, wary of future unresolved legacy issues.
In response, Councillor Mike Rigby, portfolio holder for economic development, planning, and assets, clarified that enforcement responsibility does not lie with the council but with Persimmon Homes according to the signed agreements. Rigby confirmed that the agreement requires Persimmon to deliver the road and services within 12 months to the parish council, but there is no legal enforcement tied directly to the road’s timely construction.
Persimmon Homes and Redrow Homes jointly stated their intention to complete the access road by autumn. They expressed pride in having already delivered the school and community centre and offered apologies for the delay in completing the road, emphasizing that the road’s completion will unlock the land’s potential for much-needed sports facilities, ultimately supporting a sustainable community.