Nearly 300 new homes and a football stadium in Chard

The delivery of nearly 300 new homes and a football stadium in Chard has moved a step closer following the conclusion of recent roadworks.

McTaggart & Mickel Homes England Ltd. and the S. E. Blackburn Discretionary Trust jointly put forward outline plans in January 2019 for a development of up to 295 homes and a new stadium for Chard Town Football Club, on land between Thorndun Park Drive and Crimchard at Chard’s northern edge.

Somerset Council’s planning committee south gave the green light to a revised development scheme in November 2024, despite fears over localised flooding and an increase in traffic.

Construction of these homes has now moved one step closer after the access road into the site was brought up to an acceptable standard.

The new homes will be accessed via a spur road off Thorndun Park Drive, which currently serves the Bartlett Park Garage and the Bodycote factory.

The spur road was constructed alongside the road of the Chard Business Park in the late-1980s and early-1990s, in a joint venture between South Somerset District Council and the Blackburn Trust.

During initial discussions with the developers back in 2018, it came to light that this short section of road had never been adopted by Somerset County Council – which could create legal issues in the future if the road is damaged or obstructed.

The district council carried out preliminary investigations into adopting the road in late-2020, at a cost of £7,000 – with planning officers subsequently agreeing that the road would need to be upgraded if planning permission was granted.

To this end, the planning permission issued for the new development requires that “no works shall commence on site until the off-site highways works to bring the main access junction with Thorndun Park Drive up to adoptable standards have been completed to the satisfaction of Somerset Council.”

A short section of Thorndun Park Drive was subject to temporary traffic lights in early-February to allow Octavius Infrastructure to bring the spur road up to standard, with improved drainage, resurfacing and new markings.

The spur road will form the start of the spine road which will run through the site, ending at a stopped up entrance near Crimchard (which can only used by emergency vehicles).

The new stadium and two additional large pitches (at least one of which will be for community use) will be provided in the centre of the site, with the new homes being arranged either side.

The new stadium (which comes with a clubhouse and retail space) will allow The Robins to relocate from their current ground on Zembard Lane, near Holyrood Academy – a ground whose infamous sloping pitch has hampered their recent fortunes in the Somerset County League.

Of the 295 dwellings proposed for the site, 35 per cent will be affordable – the equivalent of 103 properties.

Construction of the new homes and stadium cannot commence, however, until a reserved matters application (specifying the design and layout of the new homes) has been approved by Somerset Council – with such an application expected to see the light of day before the end of the year.