Taunton Garden Town 2040 Town Centre Prospectus Contents 36 18 00 04
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Taunton Garden Town 2040 Town Centre Prospectus 04 Introduction 52 SWT Owned Committed Schemes 07 The Vision 54 Coal Orchard 07 Vision Themes 56 Firepool 58 North Taunton Woolaway Regeneration 00 A Remarkable Location 09 A unique environment 60 Opportunity Sites 10 Excellent connections 62 Taunton Gateway Park and Ride 12 A place to do business 64 59-63 High Street and Crown Walk 14 Somewhere to call home 66 Kilkenny Car Park 16 A thriving town centre 68 Obridge Yard 70 West Yard 18 Taunton’s Potential 72 35-39 Priory Bridge Road 19 The challenge 74 1 Bridge Street 21 The need for funding 76 Tangier Way South 24 Green infrastructure 78 Unit 1 and 2 Castle Street 25 Blue infrastructure 80 Enfield and Castle Street Car Parks 26 Heritage 82 Tangier Car Park 28 Movement 84 Tower Street (former Bus Station) 29 Culture 86 Michael Paul House 30 Retail 31 Employment, skills and inclusion 88 Active Travel and Public Realm 32 Climate initiatives 90 Castle Green 34 Design quality 91 North, Fore and East Streets 92 The Parade 36 The Opportunity 95 High Street 38 The Masterplan 96 Green and Blue Infrastructure 40 Private, Trust and Publicly Owned 98 Riverside Walks Committed Schemes 99 Riverside Path 42 Musgrove Park Hospital 100 Crescent Car Park 44 Taunton Station and Car Park 101 Priory Avenue roundabout 46 Riverain Lodge 47 Quantock House 102 Next Steps 48 M5 J25 104 References 49 Nexus 25 50 Tangier Gas Works 106 Photo and contribution credits Contents Introduction 05 Taunton Garden Town 2040 is a natural step forward from our Vision adopted in These plans show what Taunton July 2019. This document draws from existing plans and strategies, to set out could be like and provide a Prospectus Centre Town 2040 Town Garden Taunton in one document, a framework for the future of our town. We hope that Garden framework for SWT and any Town 2040 will act as a catalyst for the regeneration of Taunton, unlocking public successor authority to deliver. and private investment. A short video has been produced to accompany this document, blending real footage and animation to really bring our plans to life. You will see a transformed town centre as well as an improved interconnected network of green spaces and liveable, walkable neighbourhoods which encourage walking and cycling. The world has changed since the COVID-19 pandemic hit. We believe that a resilient Taunton needs to re-imagine its town centre, providing a more diversified offer which is not wholly dependent on retail but is based around experience and encourages town centre living and develops our leisure and cultural offer. While proposals for reorganisation of Local Government in Somerset are being developed, Somerset West and Taunton (SWT) believe that articulating its vision for a transformed Garden Town is important. Taunton Garden Town 2040 Town Garden Taunton Prospectus Centre Town Growing quality places to live - town centre, new and existing neighbourhoods 04 Federica Smith- Roberts of Leader West Somerset and Taunton The Taunton Live Arts Festival is organised by Go Create and held at various locations across town every summer, seen here at Goodland Gardens it is a celebration of arts, culture and inclusivity in Somerset 07 The Vision Taunton will be flourishing, distinctive, and healthy – and the country’s benchmark Garden Town. We will be proud to live and work in a place where the outstanding Prospectus Centre Town 2040 Town Garden Taunton natural environment, diverse and thriving economy and inspiring cultural offer, contribute to an exceptional quality of life and well-being. New shoots and blossom – a dynamic Vision Themes and prosperous community founded on Grow our town greener - transforming knowledge, culture and business our open spaces and streets Responsibly nourish partnership, Give Taunton a green makeover, joining prosperity and growth in social value, up green spaces, waterways, parks and through our strengths in knowledge, play spaces, planting more street trees education, culture and business. and woodlands and managing our water Germinate and grow sustainable arts more imaginatively with wetlands and and cultural venues as hubs that foster in gardens to improve it for recreation, excellence in the region. Pursue low tourism and wildlife. carbon and digital infrastructure to make a town that connects businesses and Growing quality places to live - markets well, drawing on our town centre, new and existing University Centre and growth industries neighbourhoods in digital, land, marine informatics, health and nuclear. Deliver an outstanding built environment, focused on places and spaces with high quality neighbourhoods, green streets and public spaces and with homes and buildings that are distinctly local in appearance whilst embracing innovation, energy efficiency and exploiting the latest sustainable technologies. Branching out – moving cleaner, moving smarter Integrate our transport network so that it serves Taunton with much improved bus and appropriate vehicle links to our main destinations and make much better prioritised provision for walking and cycling, encouraging healthier and more sustainable journey choices as attractive alternatives to travelling by car. 09 A Unique Taunton benefits from a unique landscape setting Environment Prospectus Centre Town 2040 Town Garden Taunton Taunton benefits from a truly unique landscape setting, enjoying the best of town and country. Taunton enjoys the enormous privilege of being surrounded by three sets of Hills. A358 A3259 The Brendon Hills to the west make up Exmoor’s eastern edge, the county town then straddles the River Tone as it passes TAUNTON between two Areas of Outstanding STATION Natural Beauty (AONB), the Quantocks to the north and Blackdown Hills to the A308 south on its way to the Somerset Levels and Moors. A38 A358 The gentle topography including M5 networks of streams and wetlands VIVARY alongside a rich agricultural hinterland of PARK pastures, orchards, wetlands, and woods contribute to its unique character. The legacy of landscape features around PRoW Local nature reserve the town, such as the Bridgwater and Green wedge Area reserved for Taunton Canal offer green connections green space AONB Recreational space and leisure destinations like Vivary Park, Longrun Meadow, Norton Hillfort, Site of special Park and garden of scientific importance historic interest Hestercombe House and Poundisford Country park Settlement limit Deer Park. 5km Special landscape Waterbody Within the town, the rivers, streams, feature Local wildlife site church towers, remnant farms, castle, 0 2.5km barracks, large houses, and parks, all contribute trees, boundaries, local materials, and architectural features that combine to make Taunton unique. Green spaces and green lungs permeate the town and provide pedestrian and cycle links to the open countryside beyond. Taunton Garden Town 2040 Town Garden Taunton Prospectus Centre Town 08 Remarkable A Location Taunton is well-connected by rail and road Excellent BIRMINGHAM Railway station Railway National cycle route Hospital AND THE MIDLANDS TRAIN - 120 MINS M5 GLOUCESTER LONDON Cycle loops Further education CAR - 120 MINS Connections Park and Ride TRAIN - 100 MINS Gateways CAR - 160 MINS Park and Bus Proposed cycle route Education Taunton’s hub location at the centre SWANSEA of the South West is a key asset to the Bus routes Town centre town and its economic prosperity. CARDIFF Taunton is one of the best connected BRISTOL places in the South West for business, A3259 TRAIN - 30 MINS living and skills. It is located at the heart A358 CAR -45 MINS of the region, with excellent transport TAUNTON connections. It benefits from excellent TAUNTON SOUTHAMPTON road and rail links to the South East and STATION the Midlands, as well as international links for importers and exporters via Exeter and Bristol airports. A308 EXETER TRAIN - 25 MINS Positioned at the heart of the South CAR - 40 MINS A358 TRURO West, Taunton is on junction 25 of the A38 M5, as well as on the A358/A303 corridor. M5 PLYMOUTH Bristol and Exeter are only a short 40 minute drive away, whilst London can be reached in under 2 and a half hours by road or just 100 minutes by rail. The two international airports are also Taunton is strategically located on the weekday bus service running every projects to improve the town’s easy to access: both Bristol and Exeter rail network, which provides important 12 to 15 minutes through the day for connections, including: airports offer flights across the country connections to London, the South West shoppers, visitors and commuters from and to international destinations. • Taunton Railway Station (£4.6m) and the wider UK, and encourages outside Taunton. Furthermore, two businesses to locate and stay in the town. additional park and bus sites are planned • Junction 25 (£16.9m) Taunton’s Funding is already in place for the rail as part of the Monkton Heathfield and station upgrade which will create a much Comeytrowe/Trull garden communities. • Toneway Corridor (£6.4m) 0 2.5km connections improved gateway to the town. The town is well-suited for walking and • Staplegrove (£7.2m). Taunton’s bus network provides for cycling – much of the town is relatively The Trenchard Way bypass opened in a wide range of everyday journeys flat and most destinations are within 2017, whilst central Government has enabling people to access education, walking or cycling distances of people’s committed to dual the A358, linking jobs, training and healthcare. Coaches homes. The network of green and