Significant walking and cycling infrastructure improvements are crucial to ensure safe access to a replacement secondary school planned for Bridgwater by September 2028.
Haygrove School, currently situated on Durleigh Road, was partially closed in August 2023 after only three years of operation, with many students still learning in temporary Portakabin classrooms. The Department for Education (DfE), collaborating with Somerset Council and the Quantock Education Trust, is set to build a new facility on Spaxton Road in the neighbouring parish of Durleigh.
Delivering safe pedestrian and cycling routes to the new site will require major modifications to Bridgwater’s road network, a need that will become more pressing as new housing developments emerge north of the town.
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The new school will be located on land at Queensdown Farm, between Spaxton Road and Broadlands Lane, with capacity for 210 pupils per year. This site was originally considered by Somerset County Council during initial Haygrove School planning in 2008, which included proposals for a roundabout at the Spaxton Road and Skimmerton Lane junction.
Current plans from contractors Willmott Dixon, presented through a screening and scoping request, revise the original layout by moving playing fields to the northern edge and positioning the main access near Broadlands Lane.
A spokesperson for Turley, representing Willmott Dixon, explained: “The development will include a multi-use games area (MUGA), sports courts, pitches, and a social hard-standing area with seating. The car park and main buildings will be in the southern part of the site, with sports facilities centrally and to the north.”
Access will be from Spaxton Road, west of the existing Broadlands Lane access, leading to a new car park along the southern boundary. Planned roadworks will include localized widening and new pedestrian crossing points to provide safe routes for students.
Haygrove School currently serves students from both sides of Durleigh Road and a broad area stretching from Bridgwater’s western edge to the Quantock Hills, covering expanding villages such as Cannington and Nether Stowey.
The Quantock Education Trust emphasized the investment’s long-term benefits, stating the new school will “positively impact local families for generations” by offering an enhanced learning environment supporting both academic achievement and personal growth.
Somerset County Council’s Bridgwater local cycling and walking infrastructure plan (LCWIP), published in May 2022, highlights essential improvements along the ‘red route’ between the town centre and Durleigh Reservoir, just steps from the proposed school site.
Significant progress has been made at the eastern end of this route, including new multi-user paths connecting St Matthew’s Field with Durleigh Gardens through the Meads eco-park. These pathways will extend west into the new Durleigh View estate, where 105 homes are currently under construction by Lovell Homes and Notaro New Homes near Haygrove Road.
Durleigh Road has narrow pavements on both sides and minimal cycling infrastructure; west of Luxborough Road, the road narrows to a single carriageway bordered by steep hedges. Spaxton Road lacks pavements entirely, with only limited verge areas for pedestrians.
The LCWIP calls for widening shared paths or introducing separate cycle lanes along Durleigh Road, and for measures to prioritize cyclists on Spaxton Road, such as reduced speed limits or ‘green line’ signage.
Turley’s spokesperson assured that there will be no anticipated increase in traffic from the new school, as it replaces the existing facility with the same pupil capacity. “The majority of journeys are expected to remain unchanged, with many via walking, dedicated school buses, or car sharing. A travel plan will encourage reduced car use and promote active travel,” they added.
Housing developments near the new school site include 675 homes, a primary school, and community hub planned at the Centenary Heights site by Cavanna Homes South West and Martin Grant Homes, alongside potential additional homes near the Shell petrol station. Additionally, Persimmon Homes Severn Valley received permission in November 2025 to build 323 homes west of the existing cemetery.
While these new neighborhoods fall within the Chilton Trinity School catchment, some children may attend Haygrove School if Chilton Trinity reaches capacity.
Somerset Council is expected to review the Haygrove scoping request shortly, with detailed plans to follow later this year. The council declined to comment on whether active travel enhancements would be funded through Active Travel England grants.
Construction is anticipated to begin in 2027, with the new facility opening in 2028. The existing Haygrove School will close in advance of the new school’s opening, so both sites will not operate simultaneously.