Revised plans for North Petherton medical centre clear first hurdle
The council will make a final decision by the end of the year.
Revised plans for new homes, a care home and a medical centre in a growing Somerset town have cleared the first hurdle in the planning process.
North Petherton has experienced significant housing growth in recent years at either end of the settlement – with around 500 additional homes lying on the horizon as the neighbouring Bridgwater Gateway site is built out.
West of England Developments (Taunton) Ltd. published proposals in late-2023 to deliver a new housing development on the A38 Taunton Road, which will include a new GP surgery to replace the current facilities on Church Walk.
Following extensive discussions with Symphony Healthcare Services (which runs the current surgery) and the NHS Somerset integrated care board (ICB), the developer received a formal commitment in February that this new surgery will be delivered if planning permission for the wider development is secured.
Somerset Council has now approved the initial plans for the development (known as a screening request), with more detailed proposals expected to be published within the coming months.
The development site lies on the eastern side of the A38 between Park Lane and Parkers Field, opposite the Carrots Farm development of 20 homes which has been constructed by the Taunton-based Summerfield Developments.
The developer originally intended to deliver 60 new homes within the site, which was subsequently reduced down to 45 homes (including 14 affordable homes) to reflect the need for a larger medical facility, following discussions with NHS Somerset.
The most recent plans envision 52 new homes being built within the site, of which 16 will be affordable – meeting the 30 per cent target for all new developments of ten homes or more within the former Sedgemoor area.
The new medical centre will comprise 1,200 sq m of usable space and have 60 car parking spaces near the entrance to the wider development site.
A 66-bed care home will be delivered at the southern edge of the site by LNT Care Developments, which is currently constructing an identically-sized facility off the A358 Furnham Road in Chard.
At the eastern end of the site, the developer will provide a new scout hut (with additional parking) and a junior cricket pitch, with footpaths and cycle links connecting these facilities onto the A38.
Andrew Reading from Polden Planning Ltd. (representing the applicant) said: “The proposed development will deliver a range of market and affordable housing types alongside significant local community facilities.
“The masterplan currently indicates significant landscaping, principally along the western boundary to retain a green gateway between North Petherton and Bridgwater, and on the eastern boundary to provide noise attenuation between the development and the M5 motorway.
“Some of this buffer will also be available for required biodiversity net gain.”
The existing surgery was one of 14 GP surgeries which Somerset health bosses identified in September 2020 would need to either expand or relocate in light of local housing growth.
The Somerset NHS Foundation Trust installed two Portakabins in the surgery grounds to provide additional capacity – one in 2021 during the coronavirus pandemic, and one in early-2024.
Somerset Council ruled in July 2024 these Portakabins can remain in place until July 2029 if needed to ensure the surgery would have sufficient capacity until a new medical centre could be delivered.
A full planning application for the Taunton Road site is expected to come forward by the end of the summer, with the council due to determine the plans by the end of the year.