The completion and opening of a major council housing development in Bridgwater has been postponed due to a break-in at the construction site, Somerset Council has confirmed.
The project, led by Homes in Somerset in partnership with contractor Classic Builders, involves the construction of 33 one- and two-bedroom flats on the Penlea House site, situated north of Rhode Lane in the southwest of Bridgwater.
Originally, the council aimed to complete the development by the end of September 2025, with residents moving in shortly thereafter. However, multiple delays have plagued the project over time. At a meeting of the council’s executive committee in Taunton on February 11, Chris Hall, Executive Director for Community, Place, and Economy, disclosed that the latest setback stems from stolen building materials during a break-in at the Penlea House site.
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Hall explained that while the theft did not result in direct financial loss to the council, it has nonetheless impacted the construction timetable, contributing to slippage in the capital programme. Other factors such as adverse weather and contractual issues have also played roles in the delays.
The Penlea House development consists of a newly designed four-storey block replacing the former 19th-century property of the same name that was demolished several years ago. Initial plans in 2018 for 36 flats across three two-storey blocks were later scrapped. The current design for 33 flats in a single structure was approved by the council’s development committee in January 2021, despite some local concerns about the building’s appearance resembling institutional architecture.
Located just over a mile from Bridgwater town centre, Penlea House benefits from nearby amenities and regular public transport, including the B1 bus service connecting residents to the High Street and Sydenham estate.
All flats will be offered at social rents to applicants with strong connections to the area—meaning they currently live, work, have recently lived, or have family nearby in Bridgwater. As of now, Somerset Council has not announced a revised completion date for the housing scheme.