A small village near Somerset’s emerging gigafactory is poised for significant growth, with plans to build 1,550 new homes that could effectively double its size over the next two decades.
Persimmon Homes Severn Valley initially revealed plans for the ‘West Woolavington’ development in November 2023. The original proposal included 1,400 homes, commercial space, and a primary school spanning between Woolavington’s western edge and the Gravity enterprise zone. Now, after 18 months without updates, the developer has submitted an initial scoping opinion that increases the housing total to 1,550—comparable to the large-scale Staplegrove urban extension underway in Taunton.
Somerset Council is expected to review the initial proposals within weeks, with detailed plans anticipated later this year. The development site sits between Woolavington Road and Crancrombe Road, adjacent to an 85-home project by Gladman Developments, and near the village’s sports pavilion.
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This expansion will push Woolavington’s western boundary close to Enterprise Way—the main artery into the Gravity site from the M5 motorway—and near the neighboring village of Puriton.
Access to the new neighborhood will be through two new junctions on Woolavington Road, flanking the Axe Valley Vets. A new primary school is planned centrally within the site. Up to 40% of the 1,550 homes—approximately 620 units—will be affordable housing under the Sedgemoor Local Plan, with final details on housing types and tenures to be determined later in planning.
Adjacent to the school, developers propose a local center featuring shops, a mobility hub, and potential sports facilities. Public open spaces will be strategically placed along with attenuation ponds to mitigate flooding risks, and the design prioritizes walking and cycling routes. These will connect to a planned active travel link directly to the gigafactory.
Boyer Planning, representing Persimmon Homes, emphasized the new development’s role in supporting the Gravity ‘smart campus,’ which is projected to create upwards of 7,500 jobs and includes amenities like freight and passenger rail terminals, health centers, and sports facilities.
The plan aligns with the evolving Somerset Local Plan and is expected to be determined under the current framework. Woolavington is already facing significant housing growth from other projects, including Gladman’s 85-home site, 14 new social housing units on Lavers Close, 170 homes by South West Strategic Developments, and 150 homes recently approved on Cossington Lane by Bloor Homes South West.
If the West Woolavington plan gains approval, Persimmon Homes aims to submit detailed proposals by year-end, with construction potentially starting in the 2028/29 financial year. The build-out is projected to deliver around 110 homes annually until 2043, reshaping Woolavington into a vibrant, expanded community.