A significant housing estate in a flourishing Somerset coastal town is set to be expanded following the approval of plans for 175 new homes by Somerset West and Taunton Council. Summerfield Developments, the developer, has already started construction on 75 homes within the Liddymore Park estate on Liddymore Road, at the southern boundary of Watchet.
The initial phase has seen the completion of 75 homes, along with the provision of a new car park and security gates for the nearby Knights Templar Community Church School. Despite concerns about the environmental impact of the new homes, the council’s planning committee west has green-lighted the rest of the development.
The first phase focused on the northern end of the site, near the primary school, the Ingrams Meadow retirement complex, and the existing homes on Grove Close. The subsequent phases will extend the development towards the ridge separating Watchet from the neighboring village of Williton, gradually reducing the gap between the two settlements as additional developments take shape in the coming years.
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The second and third phases will introduce 54 affordable homes, accounting for 31 percent of the total. Darren Beer, associate director of Focus on Design, emphasized the incorporation of pedestrian and cycling connections to green spaces within the site, highlighting the commitment to providing high-quality homes.
Councilor Habib Farbahi welcomed the proportion of affordable homes and inquired about their accessibility to residents from Williton and Watchet, or the broader area. Planning officer Paul Sherman clarified that there were no specific restrictions on the eligibility for the affordable homes within the development.
The discussions also touched upon the design of the new homes, with Councilor Caroline Ellis urging developers to integrate infrastructure such as solar panels and electric vehicle charging points. However, it was noted that such details would have been addressed during the initial planning permission stage.
Following a unanimous vote by the committee, the plans have been approved, paving the way for the construction of the new phases to intensify in the upcoming year. Concurrently, construction is also scheduled to commence on 139 homes on Normandy Avenue, after Edenstone Homes obtained planning permission in early May.