A vital stretch of Chard’s much-anticipated eastern relief road (ERR) will be preserved under updated proposals for a new housing development, signaling significant progress toward easing traffic congestion in the town.
The ERR, a long-term goal championed by Somerset planning officials, aims to alleviate pressure on the convent link junction at the heart of Chard—where the A30 intersects with the A358. Completing the road is also critical to unlocking new housing opportunities within the Chard Eastern Development Area (CEDA).
So far, only a short segment of the ERR has been constructed—a link between the A30 and Chard Reservoir, completed in 2022 as part of the Oaklands development featuring 78 homes.
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The latest revised plans propose 67 new homes east of the recently completed Gillingham Grange care home, with a dedicated strip of land set aside for the northernmost section of the ERR. This section is expected to connect the A358 Furnham Road with Chaffcombe Road, eventually running south near Touches Lane by the reservoir, as outlined in the South Somerset Local Plan.
Developers Mr R. & Mrs C. Blackburn submitted outline plans in December 2023 for this project, which includes new access from Furnham Road and a cycle link to Chaffcombe Lane, linking residents to the Stop Line Way cycle route into Chard’s town center.
Of the 67 homes planned, 23 will be affordable housing units, slightly below the council’s target of 35 percent affordable homes for developments of ten or more dwellings in the former South Somerset area.
Representatives from Greenslade Taylor Hunt, acting on behalf of the developers, emphasized thoughtful design considerations: “The layout ensures no undue overlooking or loss of privacy for residents. The public play space will be positioned for natural surveillance from nearby homes, enhancing safety and reducing the risk of anti-social behavior.”
Somerset Council is expected to decide on these revised proposals by the end of the year.
Further development is on the horizon: Gladman Developments, having secured outline permission in January, plans to advance proposals for a section of the ERR near the A30 Crewkerne Road as part of a 230-home scheme. Meanwhile, Persimmon Homes South West awaits council approval to build 236 homes on A358 Tatworth Road, a project that includes a new roundabout and the southernmost stretch of the ERR.
These developments collectively mark important steps toward completing the eastern relief road and supporting Chard’s sustainable growth.