The pace of new home construction at Taunton’s largest development site, Orchard Grove, is set to quicken following a successful bid for government funding. This support comes as part of the UK government’s New Homes Accelerator Fund, launched in August 2024 as a strategy to build 1.5 million homes by the end of this parliamentary session.
Between late August and late October 2024, UK councils were invited to submit proposals to unlock or speed up development with central government grants. Orchard Grove was selected as one of only six priority sites nationwide—and the sole project in the South West—to receive funding in this initial round.
The fund targets overcoming obstacles that delay progress on large, already consented sites. By doing so, it enables faster delivery of new homes, including a guaranteed minimum of 25% affordable housing across all funded developments.
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Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary Angela Rayner emphasized the government’s commitment: “We are breaking down the barriers that stall housebuilding to ensure families and young people have access to homes to buy and rent. Our New Homes Accelerator is helping meet the ambitious 1.5 million homes target and tackle the housing crisis head-on.”
Orchard Grove is being developed by a consortium comprising Taylor Wimpey, Vistry Group (including Bovis Homes and Linden Homes), in partnership with LiveWest. Spanning from the A38 Wellington Road to Honiton Road in Trull, the site will ultimately deliver up to 2,000 homes.
A spokesperson for the consortium said, “Being chosen as one of six national priority sites— and the only one in the South West—validates our vision and capability to deliver much-needed homes, jobs, and economic growth for Taunton and the surrounding region. The New Homes Accelerator will help us overcome planning and regulatory challenges, speeding up delivery of high-quality homes alongside essential infrastructure, including substantial affordable housing."
Since construction started in 2020, Orchard Grove’s western neighbourhood has seen significant progress with homes built from the A38 roundabout up to the newly opened Orchard Grove Primary School. Plans for the wider community include a local centre with small businesses, a business park, ‘park and bus’ facilities, allotments, sports pitches, and 100 acres of public open space.
Local MP Gideon Amos has actively advocated for government support to complete the site’s key spine road, as well as for a secondary school and health hub to serve the growing community.
Somerset Council acknowledged the early stage of engagement with government on the New Homes Accelerator Programme and could not yet disclose the exact funding amount or its specific allocation across the site.
This injection of funding and coordinated effort marks a significant step forward in delivering a vibrant new community and contributing meaningfully to the UK’s housing goals, making Orchard Grove a beacon of progress in Somerset.