WORK is due to start on 142 new homes in Chard this spring - after planning permission was granted for the site last year.

Barratt Homes' Blackdown Heights at Crimchard will be built next to the development set to include a new stadium for Chard Town FC.

READ MORE: Chard Town FC says fans WILL get new stadium, despite land sale confusion

There will be three and four bedroom houses and 50 of the 142 homes will be affordable.

There will also be large areas of public open space, as well as contributions towards sports pitches and changing rooms.

The development will also include a £1.5 million contribution to local community and infrastructure improvements, and will support more than 440 jobs with suppliers and contractors in Chard.

"We are really looking forward to getting started on site at Blackdown Heights," said Nicki Reid, sales director for Barratt Homes, Exeter.

"This new community will be ideally located - surrounded by countryside and open space and within easy reach of the popular Somerset town.

"The nearby Blackdown Hills is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and we will be including a range of wildlife and environmental protection measures to ensure the development maintains that sense of being close to nature."

The building work is set to start in the spring, with Covid safety measures in place.

Barratt Homes have said that environmental and wildlife protection measures have also been put in place including retaining important trees and the majority of existing hedgerows.

In addition to the public open space, the development will include landscaped planting, wildlife habitat protection and enhancement and road, pedestrian and cycle links.