Regeneration of former Bridgwater hospital could begin in early-2026
Work to create Bridgwater’s new health and social care academy could finally move forward in the new year after formal plans were submitted.
The government provided £19.7m of levelling up funding in January 2023 to create the new academy by re-purposing the former community hospital on Salmon Parade, with a satellite site at the Seahorse Resource Centre in Minehead.
Work since this time has largely focused on delivering the Minehead site (near the town’s new police station) and carrying out design and remedial work on the Bridgwater site, working around other regeneration projects in the area – with £3.3m being spent as of late-January.
The council has now formally submitted plans for the Salmon Parade site, which are expected to secure approval by the spring of 2026, allowing work to begin by next summer.
The hospital lies on the newly one-way Salmon Parade between the A38 Broadway and Eastover, on the town’s Celebration Mile – a layout which the council has pledged to review following negative feedback from local residents and businesses.
The existing front door to the former hospital will be maintained, with the main step-free access being from the western side (with 25 car parking spaces and numerous cycle spaces being provided nearby) and a new ancillary access being created from the east.
Up to 3,000 training sessions will be delivered through the academy every year (whether in-person or virtually) across nearly 3,000 sq m of working space, with a range of training rooms, offices and outdoor training space being provided over three floors within the complex.
The site will also include an early years centre and an independent living centre – the latter of which provides support and technology for people wishing to remain in their homes longer, rather than moving into a nursing home.
A spokesperson for KTA Architects (representing the council) said: “We want to create a fluid environment for staff, trainees, health and care workers or visitors using this academy.
“The facility will have an exciting, stimulating, innovation and learning culture expressed through design, choice of materials and finishes, celebrating and capturing the historic significance and character of the original building in Bridgwater.
“Consideration has been given to long-term flexibility and the adaptability of spaces, in order not to ‘overspecialise’ the provided accommodation.
“Wholly accessible spaces will be created with easy movement into and
within building for mobility and sensory-impaired users.”
The council’s planning committee north (which handles major applications within the former Sedgemoor area) is expected to make a final decision on the proposals in the spring of 2026 – meaning construction work could begin by the summer.
The council’s executive indicated in early-September that it had put a “planning performance agreement” in place to ensure it had “committed sufficient resources to such a major programme within the town” and “support the programme delivery”.
The levelling up grant must be committed in its entirety by March 31, 2026 to avoid any of the funding being returned to the Treasury.