Detailed plans have been released for 915 new homes on one of Taunton’s principal development sites. The Staplegrove urban extension will ultimately provide a total of 1,628 homes, commercial space, a primary school, and a new spine road connecting the A358 Staplegrove Road and Taunton Road, located at the north-western edge of Somerset’s county town.
Bloor Homes South West is responsible for delivering the Staplegrove West section, which includes 713 homes and commercial units situated between the A358 and Whitmore Lane. Construction is currently underway on the initial 242 houses within the newly-named Quantock Park estate, as well as the western portion of the spine road.
Following a public consultation held in late April, Stonewater and PM Asset Management have published revised plans for the Staplegrove East development, with Somerset Council expected to reach a decision shortly after Christmas.
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The Staplegrove East site will deliver 915 “high-quality, energy-efficient” homes, largely concentrated between Whitmore Lane and Taunton Road, north of Corkscrew Lane. Of these homes, 15 per cent (137 properties) will be designated as affordable housing, with the possibility of this rising to 30 per cent (275 properties) should additional funding be secured from Homes England.
The spine road passing through the site will be completed in tandem with the housing construction, including the building of a new signalised crossroads on Taunton Road. A ‘local centre’ will be established at the heart of the development, potentially featuring a convenience store, creative workspaces, and a community hall. Flexible commercial spaces will be provided for cafés and restaurants, with options for residential or office accommodation above.
A new primary school, designed to accommodate 420 pupils, will be situated at the western edge of the site. The development will also incorporate extensive open spaces at its periphery, including new allotments, sports pitches, and woodlands.
Several attenuation ponds will be constructed south of the spine road to manage water drainage from the development, directing it towards new wetlands located south of Corkscrew Lane. These wetlands were previously approved by the council’s planning committee in March 2025.
Matthew Crucefix, group director of development at Stonewater, said:
“Public consultation plays an important role in shaping proposals, and we are grateful to everyone who took the time to share their views with us.
We are particularly pleased to be able to help deliver a long-standing community aspiration to improve walking and cycling connections between Kingston St Mary and Taunton, as it shows how development can help local communities realise long-held ambitions, with infrastructure improvements that benefit both existing and future residents.”
Kingston St Mary Parish Council and the Kingston Area Pedestrian and Cycle Campaign (KAPACC) have been advocating since 2017 for safer walking and cycling links between Taunton and the village, which lies on the southern edge of the Quantock Hills national landscape (formerly an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty).
Following the consultation, which attracted more than 220 people, the development will provide the southernmost section of a new active travel route that could be extended further north in the coming years as funding and landowner cooperation are secured.
David Stripp of Kingston St Mary Parish Council commented:
“Stonewater’s attitude of collaboration in amending their plans to tie in with our planned route from Kingston St Mary, and to offer additional possibilities, has been really encouraging.
Their team really listened to our request and were prompt in responding with positive action. This is what genuine engagement and consultation looks like.
Planning such a route depends on agreement by multiple landowners so is a slow process, but this support from Stonewater is a very positive step forward and moves us closer. We are extremely grateful.”
In response to feedback, the plans have also been modified to potentially include more bungalows and to ensure vehicle speeds are reduced both within and near the development.
Full details of the revised plans are available at www.staplegrove-east.co.uk.
Mark Yadegar, managing director of PM Asset Management, added:
“Staplegrove East has an important role to play in meeting Taunton’s future housing needs and we look forward to continuing to work with Somerset Council and the wider community as the proposals progress.”
Due to the scale and significance of the project, all decisions regarding applications related to either section of the Staplegrove site will be made publicly by the planning committee west - which handles major applications in the former Somerset West and Taunton area - rather than through delegated powers by planning officers. A final decision on the revised proposals is anticipated early in the new year.