New residents moving into the Wool Gardens housing development in Crewkerne are facing an extended period of inconvenient travel through a busy industrial estate to access the town centre. The project, led by Taylor Wimpey Exeter, will eventually deliver 635 homes, a 66-bed care home, and commercial spaces between the A30 Yeovil Road and the A356 Station Road.
Initially, the developer committed to completing a new signal-controlled junction on Station Road—connecting to the southern end of the Crewkerne Link Road (CLR)—before 55 homes were occupied. However, after recent discussions with Somerset Council, this milestone has been postponed until nearly 200 homes across the site are completed and lived in.
Until the link road and junction are finished and officially adopted, residents must traverse the Blacknell Lane industrial estate to reach local amenities. This route offers limited and inconsistent pedestrian and cyclist infrastructure, raising safety concerns. Taylor Wimpey has pledged £137,000 towards cycling and walking improvements as part of its existing agreements with the council.
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The design for the Station Road junction, along with the rest of the CLR, was approved by South Somerset District Council in May 2020 during the granting of outline planning permission. This junction will serve the first 110 homes in the southern portion of the site and provide safer access to the planned 66-bed care home by LNT Care Developments, which received approval in mid-May.
The original legal agreements—finalized in July 2023—required the completion of the Station Road junction before 55 homes in the southern development were occupied, and the full link road before any northern homes could be occupied. The revised agreement now allows completion only after 199 homes (combining 110 southern and 89 northern homes) are lived in.
Until then, all residents must use Blacknell Lane—a busy industrial thoroughfare also housing the waste recycling centre, wastewater treatment plant, and fire station—to drive, walk, or cycle to town. Incomplete pavements and raised ironworks within the estate make pedestrian navigation difficult, while sections of the industrial estate road lack pavement altogether. This forces pedestrians and cyclists to contend with heavy traffic and parked vehicles during peak times.
Local campaigner Julie Chant of Space4Crewkerne highlighted the risks: “During the week, this road is very busy with parked cars lining it. Without proper pavements, people are forced to walk among traffic.”
Beyond Blacknell Lane and Cropmead, residents still face narrow pavements and parked cars on their route into the town centre. Cyclists often share these roads with large vehicles, which adds further safety concerns.
Taylor Wimpey explained that the delay aims to expedite work on the northern end of the site, allowing construction from both ends of the CLR simultaneously. Ground clearance on A30 Yeovil Road has started in line with planning permissions, but the 525 northern homes’ construction cannot proceed until reserved matters applications are approved.
A Taylor Wimpey spokesperson stated: “Following discussions with Somerset Council, we have submitted revisions to the Wool Gardens development plans, including changes to the Station Road junction. This plan intends to provide access from both ends of the site ahead of the full CLR completion, benefiting residents and road users alike.
“We’re awaiting council approval to begin construction. We remain committed to our Section 106 obligations, including a £137,250 contribution towards cycling infrastructure. We continue collaborating with the council and community groups like Space4Crewkerne to ensure safe pedestrian and cycling routes and are dedicated to delivering all promised community facilities.”
The developer has also submitted minor amendments to accelerate CLR construction and reduce tree loss on Station Road. Collaboration with LNT Care Developments aims to ensure that care home construction does not delay highway improvements.
Additionally, Taylor Wimpey is engaging with National Grid to develop a footpath south of Blacknell Lane, offering a more direct pedestrian and cycling link to the railway station and town centre.
A Somerset Council spokesperson commented: “We’re working positively with the developer to fulfill all infrastructure requirements.” The council’s planning committee is expected to review detailed designs for the remaining Wool Gardens homes before Christmas.