A proposal to build a large ‘garden village’ near Taunton Racecourse has sparked concerns that the town could be effectively “divided by the M5” motorway, raising fears about the future character and landscape of the area.
Somerset Council recently concluded the first round of consultations on its new Somerset Local Plan, which will guide the delivery of up to 75,000 new homes across the county by 2045. Among the proposals is a plan by Taylor Wimpey to develop a garden village containing 7,000 homes on land near Taunton Racecourse, acquired from the Crown Estate in 2018.
The proposal has prompted debate locally, though Taunton Town Council has opted to take no official stance on the allocation at this stage. Councillors emphasised the importance of keeping an open mind until the formal site allocations are disclosed.
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The issue was discussed at a special meeting of the town council’s planning, development and licensing committee on 6 August, where several residents voiced their concerns. Brenda Orr, a resident of Taunton for 40 years, described the area’s landscape as one of Somerset’s finest views - looking out across the Blackdown Vale to the Quantock Hills from the high point at Winterwell.
She warned: “I simply cannot believe that this sensitive landscape could be transformed into a new town of 7,000 houses. Once this precious countryside is built over, it is gone forever. Do we want Taunton to become a county town divided by the M5? Once the site allocations are announced in September 2027, it is highly likely that it will be too late to save the Blackdown Vale. I urge you to take a clear and proactive stand against this land being taken forward for development.”
Similarly, David Orr pointed out potential challenges associated with the development. He noted that some controversial sites are being reviewed without consideration of existing settlement boundaries or landscape impact policies. Drawing attention to an interactive map of promoted sites, he highlighted that the Taylor Wimpey development would accommodate roughly 16,000 people, generating approximately 42,000 daily vehicle movements. He emphasised the substantial impact this would have on Taunton, while noting that no council tax would be directed to the town council to address these effects.
Colin Fisher, chairman of Stoke St. Mary Parish Council and a member of the Save the Blackdown Vale campaign, acknowledged the need for new and affordable housing, but stressed that development must be properly planned, sustainably allocated and supported by sound evidence. He criticised the uneven timeline, with developers having 18 months to refine their proposals while residents and local councils had only five weeks to review 500 pages of technical information.
The campaign group underscores that historically the M5 has acted as a boundary for Taunton, but the proposed developments risk transforming the tranquil Blackdown Vale into suburban sprawl, with the motorway becoming central to Taunton rather than marking its edge.
Councillor Connor Sollé, chair of the town council’s planning committee, acknowledged these concerns and emphasised the council’s intention to respond thoroughly to consultations. However, he clarified that the council is not yet taking a formal position on any individual site until more evidence is available. “We agree that a Local Plan will have major long-term implications for Taunton and we intend to play an active part in the process,” he stated.
After the meeting, the council published its formal response to the consultation, emphasising that Taunton’s role as Somerset’s county town and principal centre for services, employment and transport must be clearly recognised throughout the plan. The statement underlined that housing and employment strategies should be coordinated to support balanced communities and sustain the town’s vitality.
The council stressed that the scale, timing and location of development must be linked to demonstrable infrastructure capacity and credible delivery plans. Development should not proceed significantly ahead of the infrastructure needed to support it. It reserved its position on final housing numbers, settlement boundaries, site allocations, infrastructure adequacy and the suitability and deliverability of specific proposals.