Plans to increase the number of homes on the substantial Jurston Fields housing estate near the M5 in Somerset are underway. The Dorchester-based developer C. G. Fry and Son Ltd. is currently building the estate along A38 West Buckland Road in Wellington, close to the Westpark 26 business park and new carriageway roadworks.
The original outline planning permission, granted by Taunton Deane Borough Council in December, allowed for up to 650 homes on the site, alongside provisions for a primary school and community amenities.
Now, the developer is seeking revised permission to add 67 more homes, raising the total to 717 across all phases.
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Phases one and two, consisting of 193 homes at the southwestern part of the site, were approved in August 2017 and are fully completed. Phase three, comprising 190 homes at the northwestern corner, received approval in June 2020 and is currently under construction. This phase is facing a legal challenge relating to phosphate mitigation, with the Supreme Court expected to issue a ruling by autumn.
The outline permission sets a deadline of December 2025 for all reserved matters applications that detail the design and layout of the remaining homes. In response, C. G. Fry has submitted joint plans for the four remaining phases, proposing 334 dwellings—67 more than originally planned. Notably, 84 of these will be affordable homes, including many one-bedroom units, and the plan features public open spaces such as a pump track and new play areas.
A spokesperson for Carney Sweeney, representing the developer, explained that adding 67 homes was discussed with Somerset Council during pre-application talks, with no objections raised. They emphasized the original 650-home figure was an estimate based on a preliminary masterplan, not a detailed site layout.
The spokesperson added, “The additional homes fit within areas originally earmarked for development and maintain the established density and pattern from earlier phases. The inclusion of one-bedroom affordable homes further optimizes land use.”
Given the current housing shortage in Somerset, the wider South West, and across the UK, the extra homes—especially affordable units—are viewed as a positive contribution by the developer.
Land remains reserved for a primary school, though its construction may be delayed due to the recent opening of Isambard Kingdom Brunel Primary School at the nearby Longforth Farm development.
Residents and stakeholders are invited to comment on the revised Jurston Fields plans by July 2 via the Carney Sweeney website or by contacting their planning office directly.
C. G. Fry aims to submit detailed reserved matters for the remaining homes by late July, with the council expected to reach a decision in early 2026.
Additionally, a planning decision is pending on a separate proposal for 75 homes on the adjacent Little Jurston Farm, submitted by West of England Developments (Taunton) Ltd.