CHARD residents will finally find out whether new homes will be built at their town’s southern edge – FIVE YEARS after plans were first submitted.

Persimmon Homes South West originally submitted proposals back in July 2016 to build up to 323 homes on land between the A358 Tatworth Road and the B3162 Forton Road.

These proposals have undergone numerous revisions over the ensuing years, with the number of homes being reduced first to 315, then to 263 and finally to 252.

South Somerset District Council will finally make a decision on these updated proposals on Tuesday morning (April 20) when its regulation committee meets virtually.

The Persimmon site is part of the Chard Eastern Development Area (CEDA), which the council identified in its Local Plan to deliver at least 2,700 new homes, along with 17 hectares of employment land and two new primary schools.

The CEDA will also include a new spine road which will connect the A358 to the A30 Crewkerne Road, thereby alleviating traffic congestion at the Convent junction in the town centre.

The Persimmon plans will deliver the first stage of this new spine road, with a new roundabout being created on the A358 near Two Ash Farm and an emergency access onto the B3162, which could be opened up to extend the road in the future.

Persimmon planner Ollie Thorogood said: “It is recognised that the growth for Chard can only be realised through investment in highway infrastructure that incrementally improves capacity of the local network.

“To ensure that the highways link can be extended for future development, it is proposed that land is transferred to the council for release at the appropriate time when further development can be accommodated.”

Of the 252 homes which are now proposed for the site, 88 will be affordable – meeting the council’s target of 35 per cent affordable homes for any new major development.

The site also includes a large play area in the north-west corner of the site and numerous smaller green spaces at the fringes.

Chard & Ilminster News: HOW THEY COULD LOOK: An artist's impression of 252 homes on A358 Tatworth Road in Chard. PICTURE: Persimmon Homes South West
HOW THEY COULD LOOK: An artist's impression of 252 homes on A358 Tatworth Road in Chard. PICTURE: Persimmon Homes South West

If approval is granted, Persimmon will also provide funding for new primary school places, as well as playing pitches and changing rooms away from the site – though plans for new pitches towards the neighbouring village of Forton have been abandoned.

Mr Thorogood said: “The premise of the pitch land raised significant concern from local ward members and Sport England with reference to the poor pedestrian and vehicle connectivity from the development to the proposed playing pitch land.

“It is now proposed that the offer of the pitch land is removed from the application, and funds will be made available to improve existing facilities or create new facilities within Chard.”

The Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) has already indicated that it will seek additional contributions towards GP provision in the town – including increased capacity at Tawstock Medical Centre on St Mary’s Close.

Primary care commissioning officer Ed Garvey said: “Based on an average of three people  per dwelling, this development could increase patient lists’  size by approximately 756.

“The practice closest to the development is Tawstock Medical Centre, which is currently 15 per cent undersized. The addition of 756 patients would make them 28 per cent undersized, with Essex House Medical Centre being 25 per cent undersized.”

The CCG singled out Essex House in September 2020 as one of 14 GP practices which will either have to expand or be relocated in the coming years to take account of population changes and housing growth.

The Persimmon site lies to the south of two other recently approved housing developments within the CEDA.

Kier Living South West is currently constructing the Snowdon Grange development of 200 homes south-east of Wessex Close, which were approved by the council’s area west committee in February 2019.

Plans for a further 94 homes to the south of the Kier site, put forward by Summerfield Developments, were approved by the same committee in August 2020 – though construction has yet to begin.

The council’s regulation committee will meet virtually to discuss the Persimmon plans on Tuesday (April 20) at 10am. The meeting will be live-streamed via the council’s official YouTube channel.