Start date confirmed for year-long roadworks in Bridgwater
Locals face 12 months of disruption as the new junction is constructed next to a major housing development
Bridgwater residents face nearly a year of roadworks as work begins soon to construct a new junction which will serve two major housing developments.
The land either side of the A39 Quantock Road, at the western entrance to Bridgwater, as been allocated for new housing within the Sedgemoor Local Plan – with the two sites expected to deliver up to 1,200 new homes between them, along with a new school and “neighbourhood centre”, which may include a shop, village hall or healthcare facilities.
Planning applications for both sites have been publicly approved by councillors, with legal discussions progressing at various stages between the developers and council planning officers.
Wembdon Parish Council – whose parish includes the northern side of the A39 – has now confirmed work will begin in mid-November to construct a new junction which will serve both of the development sites.
During the construction, a 20mph speed limit will be in place – with the work expected to take up to a year to complete.
The details of the roadworks scheme were published by the parish council on its official Facebook page following a meeting with the developers – and have subsequently been confirmed by Somerset Council.
A spokesman for the parish council said: “The A39 junction roadworks expected to start in mid-November and will be taking 50 weeks, with a 20 mph limit in place and narrow lanes.
“The junction work will not be light controlled (except for some night-time works) to ensure traffic flow and limit traffic cutting through Wembdon.
“Advance warning signage will be in place and letter drops will be undertaken to the affected properties.”
The northern site (known as Cokerhurst Farm) lies between the A39 and the existing homes on the B3339 Wembdon Hill, a short distance from the Greenway Farm wedding venue.
Cavanna Homes (South West Ltd.) and Martin Grant Homes put forward plans for 675 homes, along with a primary school and neighbourhood centre, which were approved twice by Sedgemoor District Council’s development committee – once in October 2020, and again with revised plans in December 2021.
Under Cavanna’s proposals, the first 238 homes will be delivered at the southern end of the site, alongside a pedestrian and cycling link to Wembdon Hill, public open space and two access points onto the A39 – one of which will form part of the new crossroads.
The remaining 437 homes will be constructed at a future phase, along with a bus gate onto Inwood Road, the neighbourhood centre and the new primary school – though Somerset Council, as the local education authority, will determine the time-scale for the delivery of the school based upon local demand.
Although councillors have twice voted to approve the plans, the legal agreements between the council and the developer were not signed off until August 8 this year.
The legal agreement (also known as a Section 106 agreement) includes a commitment to construct the new crossroads before any of the new homes are occupied – as the Local Plan had originally intended.
The parish council confirmed: “Cavanna Homes expects to start building houses in June 2024, with the first sales on the Cokerhurst site taking place from March 2025.
“The homes are expected to be built at a rate of five per month, with seven per cent of the first phase of 238 homes (16 properties) being classed as ‘affordable’.”
The southern site, which lies west of the Quantock Road Cemetery, is intended to be developed by Persimmon Homes Severn Valley, with councillors voting to approve plans for up to 354 new homes in March 2021.
Since this date, the plans have been slightly modified, with the planned multi-use games area (MUGA) being repositioned and the number of planned dwellings being reduced to 352 – bringing the total number of either site of Quantock Road to 1,027.
Within the Persimmon site, the first 112 homes will be constructed at the eastern end, nearest the new crossroads, with the remaining 240 homes to be built out gradually to the western edge (retaining the existing public right of way through the site from the existing homes on Holford Road).
A parish council spokesman said: “No planning consent has yet been granted for the Persimmon homes on the Durleigh side of the A39, but some work will start on the junction in readiness.
“A temporary footpath diversion will be in place to ensure safety along the A39 avoiding construction work.”
Somerset Council confirmed in August that the cost of delivering the junction would be entirely borne by Cavanna Homes.
For more information on these roadworks, and others in and around Bridgwater, visit www.somerset.gov.uk/roads-travel-and-parking/roadworks-and-travel.Bridgwater residents face nearly a year of roadworks as work begins soon to construct a new junction which will serve two major housing developments.
The land either side of the A39 Quantock Road, at the western entrance to Bridgwater, as been allocated for new housing within the Sedgemoor Local Plan – with the two sites expected to deliver up to 1,200 new homes between them, along with a new school and “neighbourhood centre”, which may include a shop, village hall or healthcare facilities.
Planning applications for both sites have been publicly approved by councillors, with legal discussions progressing at various stages between the developers and council planning officers.
Wembdon Parish Council – whose parish includes the northern side of the A39 – has now confirmed work will begin in mid-November to construct a new junction which will serve both of the development sites.
During the construction, a 20mph speed limit will be in place – with the work expected to take up to a year to complete.
The details of the roadworks scheme were published by the parish council on its official Facebook page following a meeting with the developers – and have subsequently been confirmed by Somerset Council.
A spokesman for the parish council said: “The A39 junction roadworks expected to start in mid-November and will be taking 50 weeks, with a 20 mph limit in place and narrow lanes.
“The junction work will not be light controlled (except for some night-time works) to ensure traffic flow and limit traffic cutting through Wembdon.
“Advance warning signage will be in place and letter drops will be undertaken to the affected properties.”
The northern site (known as Cokerhurst Farm) lies between the A39 and the existing homes on the B3339 Wembdon Hill, a short distance from the Greenway Farm wedding venue.
Cavanna Homes (South West Ltd.) and Martin Grant Homes put forward plans for 675 homes, along with a primary school and neighbourhood centre, which were approved twice by Sedgemoor District Council’s development committee – once in October 2020, and again with revised plans in December 2021.
Under Cavanna’s proposals, the first 238 homes will be delivered at the southern end of the site, alongside a pedestrian and cycling link to Wembdon Hill, public open space and two access points onto the A39 – one of which will form part of the new crossroads.
The remaining 437 homes will be constructed at a future phase, along with a bus gate onto Inwood Road, the neighbourhood centre and the new primary school – though Somerset Council, as the local education authority, will determine the time-scale for the delivery of the school based upon local demand.
Although councillors have twice voted to approve the plans, the legal agreements between the council and the developer were not signed off until August 8 this year.
The legal agreement (also known as a Section 106 agreement) includes a commitment to construct the new crossroads before any of the new homes are occupied – as the Local Plan had originally intended.
The parish council confirmed: “Cavanna Homes expects to start building houses in June 2024, with the first sales on the Cokerhurst site taking place from March 2025.
“The homes are expected to be built at a rate of five per month, with seven per cent of the first phase of 238 homes (16 properties) being classed as ‘affordable’.”
The southern site, which lies west of the Quantock Road Cemetery, is intended to be developed by Persimmon Homes Severn Valley, with councillors voting to approve plans for up to 354 new homes in March 2021.
Since this date, the plans have been slightly modified, with the planned multi-use games area (MUGA) being repositioned and the number of planned dwellings being reduced to 352 – bringing the total number of either site of Quantock Road to 1,027.
Within the Persimmon site, the first 112 homes will be constructed at the eastern end, nearest the new crossroads, with the remaining 240 homes to be built out gradually to the western edge (retaining the existing public right of way through the site from the existing homes on Holford Road).
A parish council spokesman said: “No planning consent has yet been granted for the Persimmon homes on the Durleigh side of the A39, but some work will start on the junction in readiness.
“A temporary footpath diversion will be in place to ensure safety along the A39 avoiding construction work.”
Somerset Council confirmed in August that the cost of delivering the junction would be entirely borne by Cavanna Homes.
For more information on these roadworks, and others in and around Bridgwater, visit www.somerset.gov.uk/roads-travel-and-parking/roadworks-and-travel.