A protracted planning saga spanning over eight years has finally concluded with the approval of 112 new homes in Taunton, Somerset. Gladman Developments, based in Congleton, first submitted proposals in November 2017 to develop land adjacent to Pyrland Farm off Cheddon Road, on the northern outskirts of Taunton.
Originally, the developer sought permission for 180 homes, but the plans were rejected by the Taunton Deane Borough Council’s planning committee in July 2019. In response, Gladman reduced the number of units, first to 150 and later to 112 after extensive negotiations with planning officials.
The persistent delays saw the developer lodge an appeal with the Planning Inspectorate in November 2025. Somerset Council’s planning committee confirmed just before Christmas that, given more time, it would have approved the project. The Inspectorate has now granted outline permission, although construction remains at least a year away pending further approvals.
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The site was earmarked in the Taunton Deane Core Strategy in 2012, originally anticipating around 45 homes. The new plan significantly ups this figure to 112, including 28 affordable homes — 25 percent of the total — aimed at addressing a critical local need.
Access will be improved with a new entrance at the western end of Cheddon Road and pedestrian links to Lyngford Lane, close to the approved phase three of the Nerrols Farm development. The scheme also commits over £1.6 million toward local school facilities, including special needs education, and more than £50,000 toward expanding GP surgeries.
Enhancements to walking and cycling routes on Cheddon Road, part of the wider Taunton local cycling and walking infrastructure plan (LCWIP), are also included.
Planning inspector Cullum Parker visited the site in late February and highlighted the pressing demand for affordable housing in Taunton and neighboring Cheddon Fitzpaine. While acknowledging that new development would add pressure to already overstretched GP services, he deemed the NHS funding contributions appropriate under national formulas.
Parker noted the importance of active travel improvements to mitigate development impacts, with nearly £245,000 committed by Gladman, supplementing contributions from Nerrols Farm. He acknowledged community concerns regarding access to local schools but suggested that mitigations would address these effectively.
A persistent hurdle has been phosphate mitigation to protect the nearby River Tone catchment and Somerset Levels. Gladman plans to offset this by purchasing phosphate credits from Wiveliscombe-based WCI, a measure that Parker confirmed meets regulatory requirements. Sustainable drainage systems will also be incorporated to reduce flood risk.
Regarding road safety, Parker recognized that Cheddon Road is narrow and lacks continuous footpaths to schools. However, he concluded that financial contributions from the development would sufficiently address these concerns, making refusal on highway grounds unjustified.
Importantly, Parker stated there is no policy within the Taunton Deane Core Strategy preventing development on high-quality agricultural land, concluding that the benefit of delivering much-needed housing outweighs this issue.
Building cannot begin until a reserved matters application—detailing the design and layout—is approved. The construction timeline will be coordinated carefully with ongoing development at Nerrols Farm to avoid traffic congestion in the area.