The public disclosure of plans for an additional 75 homes near a business park adjacent to the M5 motorway has put the spotlight on the potential expansion in the area. Little Jurston Farm, situated on the A38 West Buckland Road on the outskirts of Wellington, is positioned between the Westpark 26 business park and the Jurston Fields development, composed of 650 homes managed by C. G. Fry.
West of England Developments (Taunton) Ltd. has unveiled a proposal outlining the construction of 75 new homes on the site, including a new access road and an extension of existing walking and cycling connections. A formal planning application is scheduled to be presented to Somerset Council during the summer.
The site, identified within the Wellington Place Plan officially adopted in April 2023, is earmarked for potential residential development. The land to the west is safeguarded as a green wedge separating Westpark 26 and Jurston Fields. Access to the new homes will be facilitated through a new junction onto West Buckland Road, situated south of the existing access to Chelston Nurseries. Additionally, a pedestrian and cycling link will be established to the north, connecting with the existing off-road lane near the Westpark entrance.
READ MORE: Controversy Surrounding Closure of Troubled Care Home
READ MORE: Yeovil: A Somerset Hotspot for Home-Sellers
Out of the 75 homes proposed, 19 are designated as affordable, meeting the council’s requirement of 25 percent affordable homes within any new development comprising ten homes or more in the former Taunton Deane area. A children’s play area is planned for the southernmost corner of the site, while an attenuation pond will be located in the northernmost corridor to mitigate the risk of localized flooding.
A spokesperson for Polden Planning, representing the Taunton-based developer, emphasized the growing housing demand in and around Wellington and the insufficient housing land supply, which falls short of national targets set by the central government. The strategic location of the site, with convenient access to the M5 and the support of essential facilities at Westpark and, in the future, Jurston Fields, is considered a logical and appropriately sized extension for growth without increasing traffic through the town itself.
The developer, operating under the associated title Cherwyn Developments, will soon commence the construction of the access road linking the railway station site to Nynehead Road. This initiative will extend the existing access near the Lidl supermarket and potentially reconfigure the current junction. The spine road and associated walking and cycling links are slated for completion prior to the construction and occupation of the 200 new homes planned for the site, coinciding with the government’s impending decision on the new station at the conclusion of its spending review in late-June.
The southern fringe of Wellington is anticipated to undergo substantial housing expansion in the forthcoming years, with two proposed estates consisting of 250 homes each, in the initial phases of development. One is proposed by Persimmon Homes South West on Nowers Lane, while the other, introduced by Wellington LVA, is located off the A38 Oldway Road.
Another development comprising 315 homes and a convenience store is set to materialize on Exeter Road in Rockwell Green, opposite the Monument View estate, following a legal dispute with Gladman Developments. Polden Planning is presently engaging with Wellington Town Council and the local community to gather feedback on the Little Jurston Farm proposals before progressing to a formal planning application at Somerset Council in early-summer.
For additional details on the plans or to provide input, visit www.poldenplanning.co.uk/consultations/littlejurston.