Bridgwater Docks won't be complete until 2027
It's after the government extended the deadline for spending grant funding.
The planned regeneration of Bridgwater’s historic docks won’t finish until March 2027 after the government extended the deadline for spending grant funding.
The Northgate Docks, which mark the northern end of the historic Bridgwater and Taunton Canal, were selected for a £5.2m makeover as part of the £23.2m Bridgwater town deal.
Despite a public consultation event in December 2023, there has been minimal tangible progress at the site while other town regeneration projects have advanced, such as the Celebration Mile which will eventually connect the docks to Bridgwater railway station.
Somerset Council appointed design consultants WSP in early-April to expedite the project, with the goal of securing planning permission and initiating on-site work before spring 2026.
The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) confirmed shortly before parliament’s summer recess that it would be extending the deadline for all remaining town deal projects by 12 months – giving the council until March 2027 to spent or return remaining monies.
The council has now confirmed that detailed designs and tendering for the improvement is under way, but the final contracts may not be awarded until March 2026 – leaving just one year to complete every aspect of the scheme.
Out of the £5.2m allocated for the docks within the Bridgwater town deal, £4.2m will be directly invested in the grade two listed docks, with the remaining £1m dedicated to enhancing walking and cycling facilities in the immediate area, including a new swing bridge over Newton Lock.
The marina facility is set to be modernised and berths expanded to create opportunities for leisure use – with the project summary on the town deal’s official website indicating there would be 40 residential mooring spaces in addition to 26 moorings reserved for leisure.
The new active travel links being planned around the docks will connect with the Celebration Mile, the canal towpath and an improved cycle link to the A39 Western Way via Linham Road, which was completed in November 2024.
MHCLG provided news about the funding extension on July 17, following a written question by Sarah Dyke, the Liberal Democrat MP for Glastonbury and Somerton.
Alex Norris MP, parliamentary under-secretary for democracy and local growth, said: “The 2024 October budget announcement set out a 12-month extension to the original town deals deadline. All town deal monies must now be spent by March 2027.
“For a minority of projects delivery will continue after this point – for example, where match funding is being used to complete the works.
“No funding recipients have requested an exemption to spend their grant beyond this date.”
A brief update on the docks project came before the council’s harbour management advisory committee when it met in Taunton on Monday afternoon (July 28).
Captain Jessica Tyson, acting harbour master for the ports of Bridgwater, Minehead and Watchet, said: “We have started having some sort of consultation as a key stakeholder, as obviously anything happening to the docks will have a impact on the River Parrett and the port of Bridgwater.
“There is the beginnings of engagement and understanding that, while there may be some concerns from our perspective about what they are potentially proposing, we do have some specialist knowledge – for want of a better word – in relation to what is possible and what the problems are.
“Sometimes people don’t want to see the bigger picture, which can certainly have an impact further down the line.”
Richard Brown, the council’s lead regeneration specialist, was due to provide a more detailed update to the committee, but was unable to attend due to ill health.
Councillor Leigh Redman (whose Bridgwater North and Central division borders the docks) asked for a written update to be provided to committee members before its next meeting in the autumn.
Mr Redman – who also leads the Labour opposition group on the council – said: “I’m conscious that it’s a moving situation in relation to the docks.
“It may be worth considering Richard to provide us with a short written update which can be circulated between meetings.
“I think, particularly with the proximity of the docks project to one of our main bodies of water, it would be helpful to have that.”
The council has confirmed that all funding associated with the docks project will be spent by the new deadline of March 2027.
A spokesperson said: “Design work on the Bridgwater Docks project is starting now, with the planning process, tender and the appointment of the final contract expected by March 2026.
“The final delivery would be by March 2027, or potentially earlier.”