Taunton Garden Town 2040 Town Centre Prospectus Contents 36 18 00 04
50 49 48 47 46 44 42 40 38 The Opportunity 34 32 31 30 29 28 26 25 24 21 19 Taunton’s Potential 16 14 12 10 09 A Remarkable Location 07 07 Introduction mployment, skillsandinclusion place to dobusiness
thrivingtown centre cellent connections
een infrastructure
uniqueenvironment Culture Movement Blue in The needf The challenge A A Ex Committed Schemes Clima E Gr Some A TangierGas Works Nexus 25 M5 J25 Quantock House Riverain Lodge Taunton Station andCar Park Musgrove Park Hospital Priv The Masterplan Design quality Retail Heritage Vision Themes The Vision ate, Trust andPublicly Owned te initiatives where to call home frastructure or funding
ext Steps 106 104 102
Pho References N 101 100 99 98 96 95 92 91 90 88 86 84 82 80 78 76 74 72 70 68 66 64 62 60 58 56 54 52
to andcontribution credits Priory Avenueroundabout Crescent Car Park Riverside Path Riverside Walks Gr High Street The Parade North, Fore andEast Streets Castle Green A Michael Paul House Tower Street (former BusStation) Tangier Car Park Enfield andCastle Street Car Parks Unit 1and2CastleStreet Tangier WaySouth 1 BridgeStreet 35-39 Priory Bridge Road West Yard Obridge Yard Kilkenny Car Park 59-63 HighStreet andCrown Walk Taunton Gateway Park andRide Opportunity NorthTaunton WoolawayRegeneration Firepool Coal Orchard SWT OwnedCommitted Schemes ctive Travel andPublicRealm een andBlueInfrastructure Sites 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 Town Centre Prospectus Taunton Garden Town 2040 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 Town Centre Prospectus Taunton Garden Town 2040 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 Town Centre Prospectus Taunton Garden Town 2040 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 blue Taunton to the A303 and enhancing provide interurban travel connections to infrastructure - the town’s attractive connections throughout the South West, London, the Midlands, North of England open spaces - along with the river and to London and the South East. and the South West as well as to London canal, make many journeys attractive Heathrow and Bristol Airports. and pleasant. Two park and ride sites provide a total of Funding has been secured for major 1,600 parking spaces with a dedicated Taunton Garden Town 2040 Town Garden Taunton Prospectus Centre Town 10 Based in Taunton, the UK Hydrographic Office provides world-leading navigational products and marine geospatial data to help unlock a deeper understanding of the world’s oceans
A Place To Do Taunton’s commercial Business and retail areas Taunton combines superb natural
surroundings with a thriving centre, A3259 a great quality of life and space for A358 businesses to grow. Taunton has a thriving business community, with dynamic, supportive business organisations and networks as OBRIDGE well as a wide range of places to meet for conferences and business meetings. NORTON The diversity of sectors based here helps FITZWARREN to create a strong business culture, with A308 many businesses working together to A358 form clusters. Taunton serves a large catchment of approximately 350,000 people, NEXUS 25 A38 extending into much of Somerset and TAUNTON parts of Devon. The town is home to a TOWN CENTRE GALMINGTON diverse selection of businesses, from M5 micro businesses to global corporations. Many sectors choose to base themselves in Taunton, including hi-tech, scientific The creation of the new nuclear power Given Taunton’s pivotal location in the and advanced industries, professional plant at Hinkley Point C is an £18bn South West, the development will also services and healthcare, with major investment in the Somerset economy have capacity for regional HQ buildings.
employers including the Hydrographic Employment-led Town centre and will open up new opportunities in The development represents a significant Office, Financial Office, local government mixed use the area, with Taunton set to become a opportunity to bring new business Employment Primary shopping and Musgrove Park Hospital. area major business centre for Hinkley-related and investment to Taunton in a unique Retail-led mixed use Local shopping businesses and suppliers, as it is only a environment that supports innovation, centre 0 1km 30 minute drive from the power plant. collaboration and productivity. Furthermore, a new strategic Taunton is striving towards a carbon employment site at Nexus 25 will provide neutral economy. This is not just an a range of flexible premises including economy focusing on growth within so- areas for research and development, called “green” sectors, but an economy health, education, and digital technology where all sectors are low in carbon alongside high quality office space, emissions and compliant with a carbon light industrial units and warehouses, neutral future. providing approximately 4,000 new jobs. Taunton Garden Town 2040 Town Garden Taunton Prospectus Centre Town 12 15
Taunton’s Garden Somewhere To Taunton’s future Communities growth plan Call Home MONKTON Town Centre Prospectus Taunton Garden Town 2040 2 STAPLEGROVE HEATHFIELD Whilst Taunton is rooted in it’s past, 1 it is very much looking towards a sustainable future. The County Town is an attractive place
to live, work and visit due to its pleasant A358 A3259 setting, its market town scale, culture and lifestyle, good schools and colleges, ease of access, and employment TAUNTON opportunities in modern, mainly service- STATION Existing settlement based industries. Taunton offers an enviable lifestyle, where culture, art and A308 New Garden Community
community are surrounded by natural Recreational green landscapes and open, public spaces. space A38 A358 3 Landscape designation
M5 1. Staplegrove
2. Monkton Heathfield
0 2.5km 3. Comeytrowe Trull
The town dates back to the 7th Century providing opportunities for wildlife and Monkton Heathfeld, Staplegrove and COMEYTROWE TRULL and grew significantly during the leisure activities and greatly enhancing Comeytrowe/Trull will be key drivers and Growth up to 1904 Housing-led allocation Victorian age, following the arrival of the setting of the town. The skyline is tools in the delivery of transformational Growth up to 1959 Mixed-use allocation the canal and the railway. The town’s dominated by the historic church towers growth and the vision for Taunton as a economy was built upon these, acting as of the town centre, whilst the green Garden Town. They will be exemplars of Taunton’s 2020 Garden community settlement limits a focus for the surrounding agricultural wedges provide long distance views quality placemaking and a new country Housing-led mixed- area, and industry grew in the town out to the hills to the north and south, park will be provided as part of the vision use development 0 2.5km centre and along the River Tone and its and along the River Tone to the east and for Monkton Heathfield. tributaries. west. Although well-connected to Taunton, Despite its rapid suburbanisation over Looking to the future of the town, further each community will provide a clear, the 20th Century, Taunton has retained substantial growth will be delivered distinct sense of identity. Importantly, its historic core and distinctive three- through sustainable, high quality new these initiatives actively sustain and leafed clover urban form with the main communities and smaller allocations enhance the natural environment, as urban areas separated by green wedges. around the town, delivering enhanced well as providing essential infrastructure These green wedges form a link from public transport corridors and cycle including new schools, green spaces and the urban area into the countryside, links. The new garden communities at community facilities. Taunton Garden Town 2040 Town Garden Taunton Prospectus Centre Town 14 In 2019 Taunton town centre saw an average of 1.4 million people each month
A Thriving Town Culture and leisure A358 Centre in Taunton Taunton offers a rich cultural heritage, thriving town centre and peaceful TAUNTON green spaces. STATION ‘Town on the Tone’ was founded by King Ine in the 7th century, and was a place of considerable importance during Saxon times. Taunton town centre contains evidence of the town’s long and often turbulent history to this day. A308 LONGRUN MEADOW VICTORIA
NORTH ST PARK
A38 EAST ST
Recreational space Hospital
Leisure led mixed Further education use VIVARY Town centre Education PARK Somerset County Settlement limits Cricket Ground Cultural attraction Water 0 1km
Today, Taunton has a compact town retail quarter in recent years. longer-term ambition to achieve full centre, with access to an attractive university status. Health facilities and Taunton offers a wide range of riverside and high quality green spaces. leisure opportunities also provide for exceptional schools and colleges. It has a good retail offer, with a significant the needs of Taunton’s increasing The education offer, with both state number of high quality independent older population. and independent schools, make it an shops and markets. It is the major attractive location for families. There The sport and leisure attractions, administrative, economic, cultural and is also a wealth of further education including Somerset County Cricket retail centre in the county, as well as opportunities, meeting the needs of Ground, Taunton Racecourse, the being the focus for many other services Taunton Garden Town 2040 Town Garden Taunton Prospectus Centre Town local employers and the supply chain. Museum of Somerset and enhanced including health, education and leisure. A new University Centre for Somerset swimming and leisure facilities, Free wi-fi across the town centre has has opened, offering vocational degrees along with the night time economy, increased dwell time and spend in the linked to affiliated universities, with a provide a high quality offer. 16 19 success, enabled by major investment in However, there is still some way to go The Challenge infrastructure. before this ambition is realised. The town centre has suffered from decades Taunton is a fantastic place to live and a Garden Town status underlines the huge of decline, the recovery from which has Town Centre Prospectus Taunton Garden Town 2040 great place to do business. Thousands of potential for Taunton - it is also another been further set back by the impact of people spend time in the town, enjoying step towards achieving the ambition of COVID-19 on town centres across the all it has to offer. Becoming one of the creating an exceptional place to live, country. first new Garden Towns in the country set in a superb environment, offering a was the result of much hard work with wide range of high quality housing and partners and the Government, and employment opportunities, enabling reflects the commitment to transform communities and businesses to prosper. growth in housing, jobs and economic Taunton Garden Town 2040 Town Garden Taunton Prospectus Centre Town 18 Taunton’s Potential
The Grade II listed Firepool Pumping Station located on Firepool, Taunton’s flagship site, could be redeveloped to bring this beautiful building back in to meaningful use Space for a modal shift to put pedestrians and cyclists first 21 Taunton town centre faces many • Encouraging active travel and a modal growth priority is to regenerate the challenges over the next 20 years, shift away from the car town centre, providing a stronger and including: more vibrant core, with a dynamic • Reducing the risk of flooding and and diversified economy, a choice Town Centre Prospectus Taunton Garden Town 2040 • Realising its economic potential and enhancing the river corridor of residential accommodation, retail, providing for significant growth in jobs • Helping to combat climate change leisure, community, sporting and cultural • Achieving zero carbon across all through sustainable design and facilities. A wider range of better paid sectors, including housing, transport construction jobs will provide opportunities to retain and the economy more young people in the area. • Retaining its distinctive identity and • Maximising the use of previously enhancing public realm The River Tone will become a more developed land attractive corridor through the heart of • Ensuring that redevelopment is the town, linking the redevelopment • Developing its role as a major sustainable and of high quality design sites. Having maximised the opportunities business, commercial, educational, • Addressing the negative impact of for growth on brownfield sites in the service and cultural centre, and striving COVID-19 and adapting to the resulting town centre, most of the remaining for a digital economy changes to people’s lifestyles. requirements for growth will be met • Playing its part in helping to deliver in sustainable, high quality garden Facing these challenges will help deliver enhanced levels of housing growth communities in existing public on a wide range of community priorities transport corridors. • Tackling rising levels of traffic and will realise Taunton’s garden town congestion and improving accessibility vision. In order to tackle these, the
regeneration of underutilised land The Need For across these sites in order to realise the Funding aspirations in the Garden Town vision. Many of these sites were included in The town centre contains a significant the Taunton Town Centre Area Action number of regeneration sites, of which Plan (TTCAAP) (2008), which was a the majority are publicly owned and comprehensive document setting offer significant opportunities under the out a policy framework and indicative Government’s Starter Home initiative. Taunton Garden Town 2040 Town Garden Taunton Prospectus Centre Town programmes for the delivery of the sites. Working with key stakeholders, the Council is seeking to progress the 20
Current photo of Firepool South one of Taunton’s gateway sites Opportunities to speed up delivery and avoid long-term hoarding 23 Funding will help to: • Boost economic growth
• Provide local jobs Town Centre Prospectus Taunton Garden Town 2040 • Deliver climate change initiatives • Deliver the Garden Town vision • Attract inward investment • Engage key stakeholder buy-in • Enable public engagement. The delivery of critical infrastructure for Taunton is essential to: • Deliver the new sustainable lifetime neighbourhoods envisaged • Enable developers to focus on delivery • Maintain community support and provide the wider benefits for current and future Taunton residents and the sub-region.
Many of these sites were included in 2019, only 45 units were provided each required for Taunton to maintain a the Taunton Town Centre Area Action year, totalling the delivery of only 505 high quality of life. In order to maintain Plan (TTCAAP) (2008), which was a units. Without additional effort it would a significant acceleration in delivery, comprehensive document setting take another 40 years to complete the assistance will be required to ensure out a policy framework and indicative full TTCAAP target, with an expected timely delivery of critical infrastructure to programmes for the delivery of the sites. completion date of 2060. The TTCAAP unlock opportunity sites within the town is still relevant and serves as a basic centre. The TTCAAP explained how the various template for what the Taunton Garden proposals would be implemented, Town 2040 document is seeking to including roles and responsibilities achieve. of partners in the public, private and voluntary sectors, and identified how the The ambitious level of growth proposed regeneration of the town centre could exceeds current Government household deliver important community priorities. projections for Taunton, and the presence This included opportunities for training of a wide range of developers in the and skills, better connections to the town town demonstrates the strength of the centre from disadvantaged communities housing market. However, developing at and how it would tackle climate change. such a scale and sustaining the delivery rates envisaged, presents significant The rate of development envisaged Taunton Garden Town 2040 Town Garden Taunton Prospectus Centre Town challenges, not least in relation to the by the TTCAAP was a total of 2025 provision of essential infrastructure units by 2019, equating to 185 units requirements, but also the wider strategic per year. However, between 2008 and infrastructure projects and regeneration 22
Exposed surface parking - prime location for town centre regeneration 25 and cycling paths, but link them together. Green This will form a joined-up network, which Crowds gathered in Goodland Gardens is easy and convenient to use, a pleasure enjoying Taunton’s annual Somerfest event
Infrastructure Town Centre Prospectus Taunton Garden Town 2040 to look at and is rich in wildlife. The design of Green infrastructure is integral to This will be complemented by a garden Taunton’s growth and provides notable grid network of green corridors and Taunton’s streets, opportunities to deliver the Garden greener streets, which connect the Town vision. SWT recently declared an town’s parks and open spaces with the public spaces, parks, ecological emergency, with the motion Tone Riverside and the wider Somerset unanimously supported at Full Council countryside, including new formal open spaces and in October 2020. This motion recognises spaces such as Monkton Heathfield that societies and economies are Country Park. Planting street trees and waterscapes will intimately linked with and depend on establishing mini-orchards and rain biodiversity and nature, and that steps gardens will diversify the townscape, include opportunities need to be taken to protect and enhance enrich the landscape and reconnect our natural habitats. urban life to meadows, streams, to promote physical Wildlife and people thrive where green orchards, woods and vale. activity, play and spaces and natural habitats are well- connected. Our strategy is to ensure socialising, to new development, regeneration, traffic improvements and other works, no foster healthy and longer sever green corridors and walking communal lifestyles.
New major parks, local pocket parks to promote physical activity, play and other linear green spaces will and socialising, to foster healthy and exemplify the beauty of Taunton’s diverse communal lifestyles. landscapes, and support the town’s Somerset’s iconic identity as a ‘County recreational and wildlife programmes of Orchards’ will be reflected in the with an outdoor events calendar and planning of the town’s green network, recreational facilities, woodlands, with opportunities taken to support local wetlands and walking routes. The community ambitions to grow all kinds of design of Taunton’s streets, public Taunton Garden Town 2040 Town Garden Taunton Prospectus Centre Town food locally. spaces, parks, open spaces and waterscapes will include opportunities 24
Somerset’s iconic identity as a ‘County of Orchards’ will be reflected in the planning of the town’s green network, with opportunities taken to support local community ambitions to grow all kinds of food locally access and ecological enhancements Blue Infrastructure and linking regeneration sites. The Heritage A key objective of the Garden Town vision existing green connections into the town Taunton’s distinctive skyline is dominated is to re-establish connections between from Longrun Meadow, Firepool Lock by the magnificent church towers, in Taunton and the surrounding landscape and Vivary Park need to be joined up, particular St. Mary Magdalene Church, by making the most of its rivers, canal, through the creation of pleasant and which is of national significance and streams and watercourses. Taunton attractive pedestrian and cycle routes identified by Historic England as the most owes its location to the River Tone and its along the River Tone and through the important church tower in the whole of tributaries. Together with the Bridgwater town centre. Somerset. and Taunton Canal, the River Tone The design of new neighbourhoods will Taunton’s town centre contains some connects the town to the surrounding consider how water can be managed 210 listed buildings, and numerous other countryside. However, at present much intelligently to manage storm water, historic buildings, which create Taunton’s of the town turns its back on the river. facilitate irrigation, and promote habitats vibrant and attractive environment. The River Tone provides opportunities for resilient to flooding and climate change, These are knitted together by streets enhancing and creating multifunctional aligned with the Taunton Strategic Flood and spaces that retain their historic green infrastructure corridors, balancing Alleviation Improvements Scheme. charm, such as Bath Place and Castle Green. There are also some outstanding heritage assets outside of the town centre, such as Hestercombe House and Gardens, which offers a unique combination of three centuries of garden design. Some of Taunton’s landmark buildings have been given a new lease of life, The River Tone has the potential to become a focal point of such as the Market House, the Museum the town as an attractive and accessible resource of Somerset, the Castle Hotel, and the Old Library, with works live on site at the Collar Factory to bring the derelict building back to life. In order that Taunton’s landmarks are celebrated fully, improvements to the towns public realm are proposed. Not only will this improve the setting of the town’s important buildings, it will prioritise pedestrian and cycle movement, and improve the quality of life for many in the town. Taunton Garden Town 2040 Town Garden Taunton Prospectus Centre Town 26
St. Mary Magdalene stands as a stunning backdrop to the eat:Festival held in Hammet Street Supporters from all over the world descended on Taunton as Somerset County Cricket Club hosted international matches for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 at the Cooper Associates County Ground
More intensive living along key public Initiatives currently underway in the town Movement transport routes and close to stops, and include the E-scooter trial, permanent Taunton’s streets and roads will provide the clustering of uses and facilities within closure of St James Street and trial a network of safe, inclusive and local centres will further reduce the need closure of East Street. The results comfortable green streets and public to drive. of these trials will inform the most appropriate strategies to bring forward in spaces, integrating landscape, parking The existing bus system will be upgraded the town, complemented by public realm and water sensitive design to provide to ensure that it provides a high quality, improvements. attractive and functional places for frequent, affordable, viable and rapid public life. public transport system that is low Taunton is the host location for Western This will follow the Local Cycling and carbon and within a five minute walk Power Distribution’s DC Share project. Walking Infrastructure Plan and actions of every neighbourhood. Improved This project will assist with the facilitation highlighted in the Carbon Neutrality connections to the railway station will of rapid elective vehicle (EV) charging and Climate Resilience Action Plan, to be provided and a new railway station is equipment by providing appropriate continue delivering the Taunton Cycle proposed at Wellington, forming a direct network connections where they are Network Upgrades as identified by the and rapid link to Taunton. needed, whilst making optimal use of the available network capacity. This should Taunton Area Cycling Campaign, and The availability of real-time data be capitalised on, ensuring EV charging work towards Taunton being a Beacon information for all public transport points are rolled out across the town, and Cycling Town. services and routes will be extended. incorporated into key transport hubs such Greater sharing of transport will be Priority will be given to the early delivery, as the Taunton Gateway Park and Ride. integrated design and sustainable enabled through support for car clubs, maintenance of Taunton’s walking and bike hire and car sharing schemes. cycling networks to ensure they provide Ticketing and payment will be simple and door-to-door connectivity, reducing swift, with rewards for those providing the need to travel by car and improving lifts for others, everybody’s health and well-being.
Winterfest, Taunton Carnival, and Taunton and culture provision within the District’. Culture Pride due to start in 2021. Sporting facilities and fixtures will continue to play a vital part, showcasing Notable cultural and sporting attractions Whilst there is a fantastic range of Taunton on an international stage. in Taunton include the Castle Museum, markets and events, permanent leisure Vivary Park, and Somerset County Cricket and arts facilities are somewhat limited, New developments planned for the town Club, all of which are located within the restricting the range of evening activity centre will help to make Taunton a focus town centre and contribute towards the within the town centre. Taunton is intent for the arts, and to maximise the use quality of life enjoyed by residents. There on expanding the arts and cultural offer of existing and new open spaces and are also a number of cultural events for the town, manifested in Somerset public realm, particularly along the river hosted in the town, including Eat:Festival, West and Taunton’s Cultural Strategy frontage. Taunton Independent Market, Farmers 2020, and supported by the Corporate Markets, Live in Somerset concerts, the Strategy 2020-24, stating the intention Flower Show, Fake Festival, Somerfest, to ‘support the enhancement of arts Taunton Garden Town 2040 Town Garden Taunton Prospectus Centre Town 28
SWT’s Carbon Neutrality and Climate Resilience Action Plan includes a short-term objective to re-tender the Taunton Park and Ride service with appropriate clauses to move the service towards alternative fuels/or electric bus fleets Bath Place is a beautiful pedestrian shopping street in the town centre, affectionately known as the University Centre Somerset provides lifelong jewel in Taunton’s crown, it dates back to the 18th century and is part of Taunton’s heritage trail learning opportunities for Taunton’s residents
public houses, cafés and other services, participation and improve prosperity. the need to consider environmental Retail such as banks and building societies, Employment, Skills issues, climate change and the impact of Boosting the night- The establishment of the University however there is a lack of sites available COVID-19, and to recognise that growth Taunton town centre is characterised by time will be key Centre Somerset, through the merger for national multiples. and Inclusion and prosperity at any cost is not a viable an extended shopping area that stretches of Bridgwater and Somerset Colleges option. from the railway station to the north, A thriving and prosperous town centre In the context of current economic in 2016, provides lifelong learning High Street to the south and East Reach will be at the core of the Garden Town, challenges and pressures, a key opportunities for all residents and will Enterprise must be stimulated and to the east. The town centre contains a with great new spaces and quality challenge for Taunton will be to diversify help to retain talent within Taunton. supported so firms survive the early good mix of national retailers and local developments to encourage economic, and strengthen its employment base. Business owners report that not only is years and then thrive, with local business independent traders. There are four large cultural, recreational and leisure It is important that the young have the there a restricted talent pool, due to near supported; and new businesses attracted supermarkets within or on the edge of opportunities, boosting the night-time skills and aspirations to help succeed, full employment, but that there is also to Taunton. As this is achieved, the the town centre. Taunton is generally very economy and creating a stimulating as well as an increasing desire to play a a real skills shortage. There needs to business community will flourish and go busy with low vacancy rates and good environment. part in the future of Taunton’s economy, be greater opportunity through existing from strength to strength, employment pedestrian footfall. There is a good mix of and that the senior members of local business growth and targeted inward will increase with local people communities are able to contribute to investment to retain the next generation subsequently benefiting. the future and be supported when they of graduates. need it. Similarly, entrepreneurs and Improved green travel services, faster executives need to be encouraged to The ambition is to achieve growth, bring broadband speed and better mobile develop ventures and that employees of enhanced job opportunities for residents coverage will help people at leisure and alongside better educational attainment, work, as well as businesses seeking to Taunton Garden Town 2040 Town Garden Taunton Prospectus Centre Town all ages are engaged, helped and able to develop their skills and the skills which and to attract/retain high value business connect, and will provide new ways of business needs them to have to reduce committed to sustainable, clean growth. working to mitigate against the impact of under-employment, increase economic All of these outcomes are framed by climate change. 30 Nexus 25 will be a landscape led development that preserves landscape features, enhances biodiversity and contains a connected ecological framework. Sustainable approaches to surface water drainage, building design and transport will be a key component
Homes Pilot across multiple sites in the modern, forward-thinking county town. Climate Initiatives town, amongst many others. Alongside In doing this, green infrastructure will Somerset West and Taunton Council this, it is essential we recognise that provide a focus for greening and growing; declared a climate emergency in 2019 communities, businesses and buildings new development will provide homes, and committed to working towards are supported to make some of the business and culture; and movement making the district carbon neutral by fundamental shifts that are required routes will have a focus on walking and 2030. Addressing climate change is now to reduce our impact and to become cycling. Improving access to nature, clearly identified as the Council’s number resilient to climate change. making space for wildlife and for water, greening our streets with tree planting, one priority in its Corporate Strategy. The Meeting the challenges presented by re-naturalising areas and space for Carbon Neutrality and Climate Resilience climate change will require big changes growing food, enabling residents, (CNCR) Action Plan published in October in the way Taunton’s buildings, transport workers and visitors alike to travel 2020 identifies a routemap with some 345 and green and public spaces function, sustainably, and ensuring our public potential actions that may be necessary and the roles that they play. Many of spaces, existing and new buildings are to work towards our goals, many of these changes won’t be easy, but they low carbon and climate resilient, will all which are Taunton-focused. Some of will bring positive enhancement to the be key. the potential actions include delivering fabric, environment and enjoyment of Firepool as an exemplar for zero carbon the town. In meeting these challenges, and climate resilient development, it will be important to retain, enhance exploring potential for a carbon neutral and complement the traditional and heat network in the town centre, historic character of Taunton as a delivering a Zero Carbon Affordable
Taking action to combat the climate adverse health conditions in residents. investment and resourcing by central emergency can have major ancillary or By maximising the co-benefits of action, Government, councils, businesses and co-benefits in relation to jobs and the rather than simply delivering piecemeal in some cases communities. Lobbying economy, health and wellbeing, food/ and one-dimensional responses to central Government to appropriately fund water/energy security, biodiversity and issues, far greater outcomes can be and resource local authorities and make many other issues. For instance, planting delivered for the environment, society changes to legislation, policy, funding trees can also increase biodiversity, and the economy. and taxation at a national level is an transition to electric vehicles can also essential pre-requisite to being able Achieving carbon neutrality and reduce air quality issues and effective to deliver. Taunton Garden Town 2040 Town Garden Taunton Prospectus Centre Town climate resilience will require significant insulation of homes can also reduce 32
SWT has appointed Zipp Mobility to run a 12-month e-scooter share club trial in Taunton, that provides a zero-carbon green alternative to get around town. Cllr Federica Smith-Roberts and Cllr Peter Pilkington seen here at an e-scooter training session Riverside at Coal Orchard will be a contemporary development opening Firepool Boulevard connects the refurbished train station to the River Tone and town up the waterfront with new public space and steps to the river centre, and forms a high-quality public space for pedestrians and cyclists
spaces, to ensure the new development The new Garden Town Neighbourhoods Design Quality feels like it is part of the town. Where will create a distinctive local identity as The delivery of the Garden Town vision there is no particular vernacular, a new Garden Communities, including at brings opportunities to provide more coherent set of materials and design their heart, an attractive and functioning and new retail and leisure facilities. It themes should be established to create a centre and public realm. Landmarks, also creates the opportunity to raise sense of place. key groupings and character areas are an important element of identity and design quality, providing environmentally Attractive, pedestrian-focussed public legibility. These vibrant mixed-use sustainable design across Taunton, spaces are essential to create a town communities will support a range of in both buildings and the spaces in centre where people want to come and local employment types and premises, between them. This in turn will impact interact socially, encouraging people to retail opportunities, recreational and on value and returns on investment, as linger. This will bring vibrancy to Taunton community facilities, within ‘walkable well as the successful regeneration of and improve quality of life, encouraging neighbourhoods’ that follow good urban the town, since high levels of design and people to live and invest in the town design principles and include greater build quality impact on perceptions of a centre. place. green spaces and trees. They will offer Increasing quality will help to restore a wide range of high quality, distinctive
Taunton Garden Town 2040 Town Garden Taunton Prospectus Centre Town Design should be specific to Taunton. A Taunton to its historic glory. Taunton will homes, including affordable housing and strong vernacular or materials palette become a shining beacon in the South a mix of tenures for all stages of life. should be reflected in the design of new West, providing a town centre fit for a buildings and the materials used in public demanding and aspirational population. 34 37 Taunton town centre benefits from a The sites are generally located in two and embed them into the town, public significant number of opportunity sites, clusters, one centred around the railway realm improvements will be vital. This will which together have the potential to station and the other to the west of also enable us to deliver key aspirations
pave the way for the transformation of the town centre. A number of the sites from the Garden Town Vision, by placing Town Centre Prospectus Taunton Garden Town 2040 the town. are already committed, either through an emphasis on walking, cycling and planning applications or work on site. low carbon modes. It will also enable The regeneration sites offer fantastic These include Firepool, Coal Orchard, the delivery of green infrastructure, opportunities to maximise growth on Riverain Lodge and Tangier Gas Works. improving the quality of life for all who central brownfield sites. Many of them This demonstrates the collective live, work and visit the town. are publicly owned and the Council is commitment to transform Taunton and working in close partnership with Homes realise its potential. England, Somerset County Council, the Local Enterprise Partnership, Network Together, these schemes are a firm step Rail and the Environment Agency in the right direction, however there is to ensure these sites come forward. an even greater list of opportunity sites Taunton railway station is identified as which need attention and this is where one of three major regeneration areas we are seeking funding to help realise under the Government’s Rail Hub their potential. programme. In order to knit together the various sites
40 Commando Royal Marines exercising their Freedom of the Borough of Taunton Deane awarded in 2003 Taunton Garden Town 2040 Town Garden Taunton Prospectus Centre Town 36 The Opportunity TRENCHARD WAY 14
15 Private, trust and publicly owned committed sites
SWT owned 2 committed sites 16 TRENCHARD WAY Opportunity sites
PRIORY PARK
8
STATION RD 16. West Yard Committed schemes under 16. West Yard 17. 35-39 Priory Bridge Road construction STAPLEGROVE RD 17. 35-39 Priory Bridge Road 18. 1 Bridge Street PRIORY BRIDGE RD 1.. Musgrove Park Hospital 32 18. 1 Bridge Street (off plan) 19. Tangier Way South RIVER TONE 17 COUNTY 19. Tangier Way South BRIDGE ST 2. Taunton Station and Car Park 20. Unit 1 and 2 Castle Street 29 CRICKET GROUND 20. Unit 1 and 2 Castle Street 21. Enfield and Castle Street Car Parks 3. Coal Orchard PRIORY AVE VICTORIA 21. Enfield and Castle Street Car Parks PARK 4. Riverain Lodge 22. Tangier Car Park 22. Tangier Car Park 23. Tower Street (former Bus Station) 5. Quantock House 30 3 23. Tower Street (former Bus Station) 6. M5 J25 improvements 24. Michael Paul House 18 (off plan) 24. Michael Paul House ST JAMES ST 4 33. North Taunton Woolaway Active travel and public realm Active travel and public realm Regeneration (off plan) 25. Castle Green 25. Castle Green Committed schemes with TANGIER WAY NORTH ST planning permission 26. North Street, Fore Street and 26. North Street, Fore Street 19 East Street and East Street 10 7. Nexus 25 (off plan) 20 27. The Parade 27. The Parade CASTLE ST 8. Firepool 28. High Street 28. High Street 23 10. Tangier Gas Works 25 EAST REACH Green and blue infrastructure 21 Opportunity Sites 27 29. Riverside Walks 22 12. Taunton Gateway Park and Ride Green and blue infrastructure 24 EAST ST 30. Riverside Path 26 (off plan) CORPORATION ST 29. Riverside Walks HIGH ST
Taunton Garden Town 2040 Town Garden Taunton Prospectus Centre Town 31. Crescent Car Park 13. 59-63 High Street and Crown Walk 30. Riverside Path 32. Priory Avenue Roundabout 14. Kilkenny Car Park 31. Crescent Car Park 0 200m 13 15. Obridge Yard 38 The Masterplan 32. Priory Avenue Roundabout 31 28 5
MARY ST Taunton Garden Town 2040 40 Town Centre Prospectus Private, Trust and Publicly Owned Committed Schemes exus 25(off plan) Tangier10. Gas Works 7. permission Committed schemes with planning Regeneration (off plan) J25 improvements (off plan) NorthTaunton 33. Woolaway 6. iverain Lodge 5. Quantock House 4. 2. Taunton Station andCar Park 1. Musgrove Park Hospital (off plan) construction Committed schemesunder cycle network alongit. frontage, as well asthepedestrianand River Tone, which will improve theriver Lodge islocated at theedgeof the privately owned. Onesite -Riverain development over thelastdecadeare Most sites that have come forward for
N M5 R
LONGRUN MEADOW FRENCH WEIR PARK 0 200m
10 CASTLE ST CASTLE
TANGIER WAY BRIDGE ST BRIDGE 4
STATION RD
NORTH ST NORTH HIGH ST HIGH
ST JAMES ST RIVER TONE 2
5 TRENCHARD WAY
GROUND
COUNTY CRICKET PRIORY BRIDGE RD BRIDGE PRIORY Designs for an £87m surgical centre include operating theatres, a critical care unit and an endoscopy suite
1. Musgrove Park Hospital A £87 million state-of-the-art surgical The new surgical centre will provide: centre is being built at Musgrove Park • Six endoscopy rooms, patient Hospital to replace the current theatres recovery and clinical support areas The surgical centre and critical care unit, which were built during the Second World War as part of • Eight operating theatres (including is just one part of a temporary casualty evacuation hospital two interventional radiology theatres), for the D-Day landings. The surgical recovery areas and clinical support. Musgrove 2030 centre will also house a brand new endoscopy suite. • 22 critical care beds, all specified for – an ambitious level 2 and 3 critical care patients Work has already begun to get the programme to hospital site ready and this is scheduled It will mean patients will be cared for to be completed by the end of 2021, with in a more modern and comfortable transform the the major building work starting shortly environment that will have greater after. capacity. hospital’s facilities. Taunton Garden Town 2040 Town Garden Taunton Prospectus Centre Town 42
Modern facilities will replace the hospital’s older buildings which date back to the 1940s 45 • Alterations to form the new entrance, 2. Taunton Station gate line and ticketing area complete Visualisation of finished scheme prepared with associated improvement works by Great Western Railway (GWR)
and Car Park Town Centre Prospectus Taunton Garden Town 2040 • A new transport interchange, utilising GWR are proposing extensive works to the existing canopy reorganise the south side of the existing Taunton Railway Station to include • Improvement to the pedestrian relocating the entrance from the north of approach to the station the underpass, to the buildings adjacent • New forecourt layout and paving to the original Brunel Down Station. The masterplan for the station comprises: • New multi-storey car park with just over 400 spaces.
Great Western Railway (GWR) is working with local and national partners to deliver multimillion-pound train station improvements as part of an integrated transport upgrade
Atkins submitted a planning application area inside of the station building, with are set back from the surrounding in late 2018 and building work has now a new entrance extension that will fabric to lessen the overall impact of the started on site. The works are due to also contain ticketing machines. The intervention. be completed in Spring 2021, when the extension and booking hall will allow for The setting of the building must also be relocated ticket office and multi-storey greater numbers of passengers at peak seen in the wider context of the proposed car park will open at the same time. times, and create a more secure and improvements to the site, which involve pleasant customer experience. The works to the station buildings are the addition of a multi storey car park and subject to Listed Building Consent and The proposed glazed entrance extension the enhancement of the forecourt for taxi 2 Taunton Garden Town 2040 Town Garden Taunton Prospectus Centre Town therefore the proposals are restricted is approximately 80m . The extension has and drop off facilities, including paving, accordingly. The proposal seeks to create been designed so as not to ‘overshadow’ planting and seating. a new high quality customer booking the adjacent building - walls and roof 44 47 low-key supermarket that previously 4. Riverain Lodge occupied the site. 5. Quantock House Planning permission was granted in A strong frontage is created at the Full planning permission was approved Town Centre Prospectus Taunton Garden Town 2040 May 2019, and building has started on northern end of the site, with the building for Quantock House in December 2018. site for the redevelopment of this 0.42 following the boundary of the River Tone. The permission is for the erection of 88 ha site, previously occupied by a Lidl The building footprint breaks in direction assisted living extra care apartments (Use supermarket, for a retirement housing across the centre of the site, with the class C2), with ground floor restaurant scheme. The proposals comprise southern range of the building aligned and associated car parking, mobility 72 privately-owned self contained with the adjacent road on Tangier Way, scooter parking, cycle stores, private apartments with associated communal whilst still maintaining views of the river. landscaping and public art. facilities, landscaping, vehicular access The site is located on Paul Street, in the and car parking. A large landscaped area is provided Visualisation of scheme within the riverside curtilage of the prepared by Planning Issues Ltd eastern part of Taunton Town Centre. The site is located to the south side of site. The massing of the proposed The previous redundant office block of Tangier Way, along the north bank of development is effectively split into a 1960’s construction was demolished in the River Tone, approximately 0.5 miles number of distinct elemental objects, December 2017, and work is now on site from the town centre. The site occupies whilst still operating as a single to construct the new building, estimated a prominent position within the local connected building, Along the southern to be finished in 2021. townscape and can be seen in many end of Tangier Way, a series of 3 storey The scheme proposes to deliver a views from the road, the riverside and town houses seek to assimilate with the high quality considered design that from the opposite banks. This provides housing opposite the site at Standish will enhance the local area with the the opportunity to produce a stronger Court. 1 opportunity to provide much needed landmark building than the relatively View 1 - Paul Street, looking south high quality care facilities, arboricultural 2 View 2 - Upper High Street, looking east and, ecological enhancements, improved screening, employment gains, and links 3 View 3 - The Mount, looking north to local employers in a favoured location. 4 View 4 - The Mount, looking north 5 View 5 - North Street, looking south 6 View 6 - Park Street, looking south east 7 View 7 - Crescent Way, looking east 8 View 8 - The Crescent, looking east 9 View 9 - Vivary Park , looking north east 10 View 10 - Corporation Street, looking south
Quantock House due for The Platinum Skies development will replace the former Quantock completion in 2021 House and provide 88 retirement living apartments
The Churchill development is located 9 on the former Lidl site and will provide 72 retirement living apartments Somerset County Council is working with local and national partners to deliver multi-million pound motorway junction improvements as part of an integrated transport upgrade 49 including access to Nexus 25. The LDO 6. Nexus 25 grants planning permission for the employment site ‘Nexus 25’ and by doing The Nexus 25 site comprises so, removes the need for a planning Town Centre Prospectus Taunton Garden Town 2040 approximately 25 hectares of net application to be made by the developer. developable area and is located to the Nexus 25 will provide a green campus east of the M5, approximately 2.5 miles setting with space for a variety of uses from the centre of Taunton. The site is including research and development bordered by the Taunton Gateway Park and high quality offices, alongside light and Ride to the north, agricultural land to industrial units and warehouses providing 6. M5 J25 the east, Haydon Lane to the south and a range of flexible premises suitable improvements the M5 motorway to the west. for many types of business. More than The Council used a planning mechanism 3,500 jobs could be created at the site, to fast-track the process – a Local boosting Taunton’s role as a major growth The J25 improvements have been on Development Order (LDO). This was centre in the South West. The Nexus 25 site since 2019 and are on-going. These adopted in March 2018 after Somerset site will achieve vehicular access from works will increase its capacity, help to County Council granted planning the improved M5 J25 reduce existing traffic congestion at peak permission for the M5 J25 improvement, times and provide access to Nexus 25 as part of a strategic highway improvement. The scheme has been designed to accommodate traffic generated by proposed housing and employment growth (including Nexus 25) in Taunton through to 2033. The J25 scheme is expected to cost around £19.2m with allocated funding of £12.186m from the Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) Growth Deal Fund, £1.5m from Taunton Deane Borough Council, £4m from Highways England, and £1.532m from developer contributions. The business case for the scheme shows it represents very high value for money with every £1 spent generating £10.40 of savings in journey times for road users, reduced accidents and easier access by bike and on foot. Other improvements planned on and around the M5 at Taunton are: • Toneway Improvements Taunton Garden Town 2040 Town Garden Taunton Prospectus Centre Town • Creech Castle junction improvements • Dualling of the A358 between
48 Illminster and Taunton.
Nexus 25 is a 62 acre employment site, its location 400m from J25 of the M5, has the capacity to secure inward investment and raise the area’s skill base there is also variation in appearance and 10. Tangier massing through the use of materials and mansard roofs. The proposals extend the Gas Works riverside walk and cycleway between the Full planning was granted for this 1.23 ha town centre and the Tangier area. site by Galliford Try in June 2019. The site The design of the riverside walk and is lozenge-shaped and located to the cycleway is an important aspect of the south of the River Tone, approximately overall development proposals. It serves 500m from the town centre, close to the functional benefit of linking the all town centre amenities and public existing riverside walk from Taunton town transport links. It is bounded to the south centre to Tangier, but equally provides by Tangier and Castle Streets and forms amenity and setting for residents and an important gateway site to Tangier Way the population of Taunton. To further and the Third Way Bridge. enhance the riverside walk and cycleway, The proposed development has been an area of informal amenity has been designed to include two apartment introduced midway along the site and blocks from the east of the site with provides valuable social space for a focal 8-storey building in the centre residents and townsfolk alike. of the site, and a further apartment The variety of scale and massing has block and town houses to the west of been developed to respond to the the site, providing 18 town-houses and shape and topography of the site and 164 flats in total. There is a variation introduces a varying skyline to Taunton. in height between 3 to 8-storeys and Taunton Garden Town 2040 Town Garden Taunton Prospectus Centre Town
Current site photo 50
Visualisation of Tangier Gas Works residential scheme prepared by Mitchell Architects Taunton Garden Town 2040 52 Town Centre Prospectus SWT Owned Committed Schemes 8. Firepool permission Committed schemes with planning Orchard NorthTaunton 33. Woolaway 3. construction Committed schemesunder access down to the water’s edge. former includingaramped andstepped Works alsofront onto theriver, with the the river. Coal Orchard and Tangier Gas developing thefrontage onboth sidesof amount of new publicrealm as well as river frontage. Firepool provides alarge the improvement of alarge sectionof the With theadditionof thesesites comes successfully developed. forward inrecent years are being Four SWT owned sites that have come
Regeneration (off plan) Coal CASTLE ST CASTLE 0 200m
TANGIER WAY BRIDGE ST BRIDGE
STATION RD
NORTH ST NORTH HIGH ST HIGH 3
ST JAMES ST RIVER TONE
TRENCHARD WAY GROUND COUNTY CRICKET 8
EAST ST
PRIORY BRIDGE RD BRIDGE PRIORY PRIORY PARK PRIORY Riverside at Coal Orchard is a development of homes, shops, offices, leisure and restaurants due for completion Summer 2021
A total of 42 dwellings are proposed 3. Coal Orchard across four buildings, with A1 (shops), A2 Coal Orchard is an essential part of (financial and professional services), A3 the regeneration of Taunton and will (restaurants and cafés) and B1 (business) put the River Tone at the heart of the uses provided on the ground floor of county town. Full planning permission two of the buildings. Public open space was granted in September 2018 for the is provided in the form of the river front redevelopment of the site as a mixed- plaza, pedestrian streets and semi- use scheme, with work currently on-site, private courtyards. due to be completed in Summer 2021. Proposals include a mixed development of housing, restaurants and retail. Better access to the river is planned, along with careful consideration of flood defences. The proposals have been through a rigorous design development process, including public consultation, local Council engagement and a series of Design Review Panels. These have aimed to optimise the potential of the design response to the surrounding sensitive Conservation Area. Taunton Garden Town 2040 Town Garden Taunton Prospectus Centre Town 54
Visualisation of Coal Orchard scheme prepared by AHR and Lavigne Lonsdale The Firepool site will bring quarter a of a billion pounds worth of benefits and will include £8 million pounds worth of climate initiatives
A new boulevard will link the train 8. Firepool station to the river and the town centre Firepool is a vital link in the chain of beyond, framed by residential apartment Taunton’s wider regeneration plans and buildings, and the new cinema and one of the biggest mixed-use schemes venue. The River Tone waterfront will be in the region. Firepool will become a significantly enhanced with the public vibrant mixed-use part of the town. realm complementing a new active frontage of residential accommodation Outline planning permission was granted overlooking the riverside walkway. The in March 2019 for the redevelopment proposed landscape will provide a green of the Firepool North and South sites. edge to the River Tone corridor, with a The permission was a predominantly transition from more formal landscape retail-led proposal and has not been in the western part of the site to a more implemented. The Council are putting naturalistic landscape at Firepool Lock. in place a Local Development Order to guide redevelopment of the site, with a The important riverside walk, which residential-led scheme based on a new is currently of poor quality due to the masterplan and parameter plans. proximity of the disused cattle market, will be significantly enhanced, with The proposed scheme will facilitate the opportunities to improve the ecological mixed-use redevelopment of this key value of this corridor through the use of regeneration site within Taunton Town native planting and habitat creation. Centre, and includes up to 650 new homes, offices, a cinema, a performance Funding has been secured to progress venue, restaurants and a hotel, together plans for a Digital Innovation Centre. with associated landscaping, public This will include space for different sized realm, infrastructure and parking. office spaces, meeting rooms, events and exhibition spaces, breakout spaces and Funding has been secured to progress terraces. Development is expected to plans for a Digital Innovation Centre. The commence in 2021. Design Guide has been developed in parallel with the masterplan to provide a design that characterises and reinforces the identity of key spaces and routes through the site. The LDO Design Guide proposals build upon the principles set out in the Taunton Town Centre Design Code, retaining and enhancing key views, enhancing the river frontage and providing new public spaces. Taunton Garden Town 2040 Town Garden Taunton Prospectus Centre Town
Current site photo 56 The Woolaway homes scheme has been recognised by Michaelmores Property Awards for its ‘sensitively handled, construction-led proposal and the economic, environmental, and social benefits’ the development will bring to the area Woolaway concrete homes can suffer 33. North Taunton deterioration that impacts their life span, the government has now designated Woolaway this house type as defective under the Housing Defect Act 1984, whilst they are Regeneration safe to live in SWT are taking action now The North Taunton Woolaway Project to provide tenants with long term, energy is a significant regeneration scheme efficient, low maintenance homes. delivering against SWT’s Housing The development will increase the Strategy, providing social housing and a affordable housing supply, provide the new community centre. The project will community with larger accommodation see the replacement or refurbishment and healthier homes that take a of 186 homes and creation of additional significant step towards zero carbon properties providing up to 230 homes standards with well-designed green in total. spaces and a community that adopts Outline planning permission for the entire many of the Taunton Garden Town scheme was granted in March 2019 and Design Guide principles. the development will be phased over eight years. Funding for the scheme has been approved, the first phase of development has started and properties have been demolished ready for construction to begin in early 2021. Taunton Garden Town 2040 Town Garden Taunton Prospectus Centre Town Visualisation of scheme prepared by Nash Partnership 58 Taunton Garden Town 2040 60 Town Centre Prospectus Opportunity Sites 24. 23. 22. 21. 20. 19. 18. 17. 16. 15. 14. 13. 12. Opportunity sites as partof thepackage of sites. spaces which thecouncil wish to improve and are linked by anumber of public council owned andprivate owned land, The opportunity sites are amixture of
Michael Paul House Tower Street (former BusStation) Tangier Car Park Enfield andCastle Street Car Parks Unit 1and2CastleStreet Tangier WaySouth 1 BridgeStreet 35-39 Priory BridgeRoad West Yard Obridge Yard Kilkenny Car Park 59-63 HighStreet andCrown Walk plan) Taunton Gateway Park andRide (off WEIR PARK FRENCH 0 20 22
200m CASTLE ST CASTLE 21
TANGIER WAY
CORPORATION ST 19
24 23 BRIDGE ST BRIDGE 18
13
16
HIGH ST HIGH NORTH ST NORTH 14
ST JAMES ST RIVER TONE
TRENCHARD WAY GROUND COUNTY CRICKET
EAST ST 15
PRIORY AVE PRIORY BRIDGE RD BRIDGE PRIORY
17 PRIORY PARK PRIORY Example of an electric vehicle charging forecourt including food, drink and comfort facilities
• An electric forecourt on the A358 12. Taunton frontage of the current access Gateway Park • A hotel located off the new roundabout within the Park and Ride and Ride • Bases for local coach companies The M5 J25 improvements will create to increase the site’s use as a a new access road to Nexus 25 and transport hub also provide new access to the Taunton • General greening of the site to increase Gateway Park and Ride. There are plans its contribution to biodiversity targets to develop the Park and Ride further to in the town. add commerciality and climate initiatives to the site. These include:
ELECTRIC CHARGING FORECOURT AND BUILDING
IMPROVED FOOTPATH NETWORK
PROPOSED NEW ROAD ACCESSCOACH A358 PARKING AREA Element Amount FROM M5 J25 Site area 8.6 ha Hotels 1 no. Open space Approx 3.5 ha PROPOSED HOTEL Car parking spaces Approx 680 no. EXISTING Electric charging spaces 28 no. PROPOSED PARKING SPACES ADDITIONAL HOTEL CAR TREES PROPOSED Coach parking spaces 7 no. PARK TO INCREASE GREEN IN PARKING Recent site photo AREAS EXISTING ECOLOGICAL AREA
NEXUS 25 Taunton Garden Town 2040 Town Garden Taunton Prospectus Centre Town
0 100 200m Masterplan 62 Visualisation of the 59-63 High Street and Crown Walk scheme prepared by Grayscale architecture + design viewed across a redesigned Crescent Car Park
• Improve the legibility and permeability raised courtyard garden 13. 59-63 High of the site • 108 cycle parking spaces . Street and • Improve the town’s public realm. The proposals comprise: Crown Walk The height is maximised at the rear of the • 3,283 sqm GIA of business and retail site, overlooking the car park, whilst the This site comprises 59-63 High Street space building steps down to 3-storeys at the and Crown Walk, and is located to the front, overlooking the High Street. No car south of the town centre. It is accessed • 60 no. residential units (22 no. 1-bed parking spaces are proposed as the site from both the High Street and Crescent and 34 no. 2-bed and 6 no. 3-bed), in is located in a sustainable location with Car Park, which generates a high level of addition to the 2 no. 3-bed units being excellent access to local facilities on foot footfall from shoppers passing through retained and by cycle. Crown Walk to access the High Street and other retailing destinations. • 346 sqm private amenity space in a It currently comprises retail units fronting onto the High Street, a covered shopping parade, private car parking and apartments on the upper floors. The site is 0.9 acres in area and the accommodation is across three storeys.
A full planning application was recently BATH PLACE submitted to SWT in September 2020 by Collier Planning and Grayscale Architecture Ltd. The design objectives are to: • Create a new frontage to Crescent Element Amount Car Park and improve the arrival experience to the High Street B Site area 0.34 ha PODIUM • Introduce a mixed use occupancy into A GARDEN Proposed no. dwellings 60 no. the town centre CROWN WALK PEDESTRIAN Business and retail space 3,283 sqm ACCESS Building height Block A 4 storeys
HIGH STREET Block B and C 3 storeys C Private open space 346 sqm CRESCENT CAR PARK Current site photo Parking provision Car free Taunton Garden Town 2040 Town Garden Taunton Prospectus Centre Town
0 50m 0 50m Site boundary Masterplan 64 Example of residential scheme featuring green roofs and urban allotments with Taunton Train Station visible in the background
Building heights should be between 3 The main vehicular access can be 14. Kilkenny and 4-storeys, in order to respond to retained at the east of the site, as well as the massing of the surrounding built the pedestrian accesses from the west Car Park form. The potential exists for a generous and south, providing direct access to the Kilkenny Car Park is located to the north amount of open space to be provided for station and town centre. of Taunton Station, and is currently used residents to use, set within the existing for station car parking. The site is jointly dense boundary planting. The northern owned by SWT and National Rail. The blocks create a sheltered courtyard, plans for the construction of a multi- whilst the open space behind the storey car park next to the station will southern block is enclosed by existing enable the site to become available for planting on the southern boundary. This residential development. space could be used as amenity space as well as allotment space. It is located in a prime position adjacent to the station and surrounded by an existing residential area which already contains local facilities and amenities. The plan below illustrates that the site could accommodate approximately 85 KILKENNY COURT apartments within four blocks. CLIFTON TERRACE
A
KINGSTON RD
ALLOTMENTS C AND COMMUNAL SITE Element Amount GARDENS ACCESS Site area 0.88 ha Potential no. dwellings 84 no. B Building height Block A 3 storeys Block B, C and D 4 storeys EXISTING D PLANTING OPEN Open space / gardens 0.76 ha SPACE Parking provision Courtyard Current site photo CAR PARK
0 50m Site boundary TAUNTON STATION Taunton Garden Town 2040 Town Garden Taunton Prospectus Centre Town
0 50m TAUNTON STATION Masterplan 66 Visualisation of residential scheme prepared by WSP
The main vehicular access could be from easement of 9.5 m to be followed along 15. Obridge Yard the western end of the site, off Killkenny the underground sewer, which runs in Obridge Yard sits directly north of the rail Court, whilst three additional pedestrian a zig-zag alignment under the site. A tracks to the north of Taunton Station. It accesses can be spaced along the suitable amount of car parking can be is currently home to a car park, disused northern boundary of the site, connecting provided for the residents, through a scrub land and a number of former into the existing residential area with local mix on-plot for the houses and a small engineer’s workshops in poor physical facilities and amenities to the north of car park to the south of the apartment condition, some of which are occupied the site. blocks. by small businesses. As well as individual gardens for houses, An 8 m offset to dwellings from the There is opportunity to redevelop the an area of open space is illustrated in railway line can be adhered to along the site, which could provide around 125 the centre of the site and at the north- length of the site, accommodated within dwellings in a mixture of semi-detached eastern end. This not only provides back gardens and areas of car parking. and terraced units and apartment blocks. additional open space, but enables an Additional space at the western end, nearest to the station, could provide 0.39 ha of commercial development.
0 100m Site boundary Element Amount
Site area 2.73 ha
MALVERN TERRACE Proposed no. dwellings 124 no. Building height Houses 2-2.5 storeys PEDESTRIAN VEHICULAR ACCESS Apartments 5 storeys ACCESS PEDESTRIAN EATON CRES ACCESS PEDESTRIAN Open space / gardens 1.78 ha ACCESS Parking provision On-plot and car park
OPEN Current site photo COMMERCIAL SPACE
TAUNTON STATION APARTMENTS CAR ALLOTMENTS AND Taunton Garden Town 2040 Town Garden Taunton Prospectus Centre Town PARK OPEN SPACE 0 100m TRENCHARD WAY WSP Masterplan 68 Example of residential scheme with Taunton Train Station visible behind and over the road to the east
Open space can be provided within the 16. West Yard site for amenity, play and allotments, shielded from the railway noise by the Station West is the final site in the station northern flank of the block and boundary cluster, located immediately to the west planting. Space for 12 parking spaces of Taunton Station, on former railway can also be created at the heart of the sidings and a former goods yard. Whilst site, utilising the existing access from a portion of the wider yard is required Trenchard Way. for new sidings and stores, there is an opportunity in the south-eastern corner for residential development. The site is elevated with a substantial retaining wall to the eastern edge along Station Road, and a steep bank with mature trees adjacent to the A3097 Trenchard Way. Due to this topography, buildings here should form landmarks, standing at around 5-storeys and housing approximately 125 flats. These blocks ALLOTMENTS should present a positive outlook over AND OPEN SPACE Trenchard Way, which currently has no active frontage overlooking this section of the road. BUFFER
PLANTING KINGSTON RD
Element Amount
CAR Site area 0.60 ha PARK TRENCHARD WAY Potential no. dwellings 125 no. Building height 5 storeys Open space / gardens 0.45 ha Parking provision Courtyard
SITE ACCESS Current site photo EXISTING PLANTING Taunton Garden Town 2040 Town Garden Taunton Prospectus Centre Town
0 50m 0 50m Site boundary Masterplan 70 Example of residential scheme visible on the left of the image with Somerset County Cricket Ground and Firepool in the background
The site has the potential to 17. 35-39 Priory accommodate two apartment blocks of 4-storeys each, housing around 30 Bridge Road dwellings. This new development at the 35-39 Priory Bridge Road is currently junction of Winchester Street and Priory comprised of low-rise buildings Bridge Road will provide an attractive previously occupied by Volvo. It sits gateway and a new landmark. within the context of the Firepool An area of open space can be provided development, is surrounded by existing to the rear of the site, offering amenity dwellings, and is close to the River Tone space and children’s play for residents, as and Somerset County Cricket Ground. well as the potential for allotments. This The site benefits from close proximity to also serves to maintain the privacy of the the town centre (a 12 minute walk), and to existing dwellings to the south and west the station (a 10 minute walk), making it a of the site. highly sustainable location for residential development.
Element Amount PRIORY BRIDGE RD Site area 0.30 ha
SWALE Potential no. dwellings 28 no. Site boundary Building height 4 storeys Open space / gardens 0.29 ha WINCHESTER RD Parking provision Undercroft
Current site photo
ALLOTMENTS AND 0 50m COMMUNAL GARDENS Taunton Garden Town 2040 Town Garden Taunton Prospectus Centre Town
0 50m Masterplan 72 Example of residential scheme with a café on the ground floor and the River Tone to the left
and the outlook from Goodland Gardens, 18. 1 Bridge Street as well as improving the footpath along 1 Bridge Street is a vacant site, previously the river. occupied by a Poundstretcher shop at An area of private green space can be the southern end of the site, accessed provided in the centre of the site for the from The Bridge, and an area of parking benefit of the residents, contained by the and containers along the northern edge. L-shape of the northern block. A limited This is a prime site in the town centre, number of parking spaces are shown on immediately adjacent to the River Tone the site, accessed directly from Wood and overlooking Goodland Gardens on Street. Pedestrians can access the site the opposite bank. The site immediately from Wood Street and also from The to the south is being redeveloped for Bridge along the River Tone footpath. retirement living apartments. Two buildings could be created on this site - one addressing the River Tone, and the other addressing the A3807 Wood Street - providing around 30 flats. Building heights of 3 to 5 storeys are proposed to integrate into the existing 2 THE BRIDGE to 3 storey buildings in the surrounding WOOD ST context, whilst providing additional height CAR on the south-western edge, adjacent to PARK Riverain Lodge. This will vastly improve A the environment around the River Tone
ALLOTMENTS AND Element Amount COMMUNAL GARDENS B Site area 0.23 ha Potential no. dwellings 31 no. Site boundary Building height Block A and D 3 storeys D Block B 4 storeys Block C 5 storeys C Open space / gardens 0.21 ha Current site photo Parking provision On-plot, off Wood Street
0 50m RIVER TONE RIVERSIDE RIVERAIN WALK Taunton Garden Town 2040 Town Garden Taunton Prospectus Centre Town LODGE
0 25m Masterplan 74 Visualisation of residential scheme with a café on the ground floor and the River Tone in the foreground
The largest trees should be maintained A bus stop is located immediately to the 19. Tangier Way at the northern end of the site, set within west of the site providing links to the an improved landscape. Potential exists station, with the town centre only a short South for the public realm to also be improved walk, making the site a highly sustainable Tangier Way South is currently open along the waterfront, creating a high location, negating the necessity to travel with a number of large trees adjacent to quality footpath link to the town centre by private cars. via the existing bridge over the River Tone the River Tone. It benefits from a prime location in the town centre as well as to Goodland Gardens. proximity to existing residential areas. The site could be developed to accommodate a single building of between 4 and 5 storeys, providing around 55 dwellings. A stepped height would enable the building form to respect the 2-storey Scouts hut building to the south of the river, whilst taking advantage of the scale and context RIVERAIN provided by the existing tall trees to LODGE the north. There is potential to use this variation in height to create an interesting built form, visible along the river both to the north and south, creating a new landmark.
EXISTING Element Amount TREES Site area 0.33 ha Potential no. dwellings 55 no. Site boundary TANGIER WAY RIVERSIDE Building height Block A 5 storeys A WALK Block B 4 storeys GOODLAND Open space / gardens 0.32 ha GARDENS B Parking provision Lower ground floor Current site photo
RIVER TONE
0 50m ALLOTMENTS AND OPEN SPACE Taunton Garden Town 2040 Town Garden Taunton Prospectus Centre Town
STREAM 0 50m Masterplan 76 Example of residential scheme on the Castle Street site
The blocks can be arranged around 20. Unit 1 and two courtyard green spaces, providing amenity space for residents. There is 2 Castle Street potential for undercroft parking to be Unit 1 and 2 Castle Street is situated to provided with courtyard podium gardens the west of the town centre, immediately above. south of the Tangier Gas Works High quality public realm should also be development site. The sites are located produced around the edge of the site, between the River Tone to the north and improving the footpath along the stream. a stream to the south. Both waterways have a footpath running along them, providing direct and attractive pedestrian and cycle links into the town centre. The site has the opportunity to be developed, and could accommodate approximately 110 dwellings, arranged into seven apartment blocks ranging in RIVER TONE height from 4 to 7-storeys. The tallest block should be located in the eastern corner of the site, providing a landmark building and responding to the 8-storey block to the north in the Tangier Gas Works site. TANGIER TANGIER GAS CENTRAL WORKS
TANGIER Element Amount A Site area 0.65 ha B SITE Potential no. dwellings 106 no. Site boundary ALLOTMENTS AND ACCESS COMMUNAL GARDENS Building height Block A, B, F and H 5 storeys D H Block C, D and E 4 storeys C Block G 7 storeys Open space / gardens 0.57 ha RIVERSIDE Current site photo WALK G Parking provision Undercroft E STREAM F 0 50m
ALLOTMENTS AND Taunton Garden Town 2040 Town Garden Taunton Prospectus Centre Town COMMUNAL GARDENS CASTLE ST
0 50m Masterplan 78 Example of residential scheme on Enfield and Castle Street Car Parks, with Tangier Car Park in the foreground and Tangier Gas Works in the background
The existing vegetation around the Building heights should range from 4 to 21. Enfield and edges of the site should be retained 5-storeys, with lower heights close to and enhanced as much as possible. This existing built form, rising to 5-storeys in Castle Street would give the site a mature landscape the north and west, reflecting the context setting. The public realm around the provided by the proposed in other Car Parks blocks should also be improved, creating Tangier sites. These two car parks sit to the west of the a more attractive walk along the stream, town centre, and belong to the Tangier providing pedestrian access into the cluster of sites. Together, they have the town centre. potential to provide some 175 dwellings within a number of apartment blocks, or alternatively could be used for student accommodation, housing around 350 student rooms. The development should be arranged as perimeter blocks, providing active frontage onto Castle Street, as well as onto the stream to the south. Generous space can be created in the middle of the blocks for private courtyard gardens and allotments. There is potential for undercroft parking to be provided within 0 50m Site boundary each block.
UNDERCROFT SITE CAR PARK ACCESS Element Amount CASTLE ST TANGIERWAY Site area 0.90 ha CASTLE ST B UNDERCROFT Potential no. dwellings 175 no. / 350 no. CAR PARK student rooms F A Building height Block A, D, E, G, H and I 4 storeys C ALLOTMENTS AND Block B, C, F and J 5 storeys EXISTING COMMUNAL GARDENS PLANTING G Open space / gardens 0.81 ha D Parking provision Undercroft RETAINED Current site photo BUILDING ALLOTMENTS AND J COMMUNAL GARDENS RIVERSIDE E WALK TANGIER CAR PARK I RIVERSIDE H WALK Taunton Garden Town 2040 Town Garden Taunton Prospectus Centre Town
0 50m NEW FOOT STREAM BRIDGE Masterplan 80 Example of residential scheme viewed over the stream from the north
The existing vegetation around the 22. Tangier edges of the sites should be retained and enhanced, with additional planting Car Park as much as possible, extending the Tangier Car Park is located immediately mature landscape setting from the sites to the south of the Enfield and Castle to the north. A new attractive waterside Street Car Park sites, divided by the walkway, rediscovering what is currently stream running between the two a lost link, can provide a direct link sites. Here, two U-shaped blocks can between Castle Street and Tower Lane, be created to maximise views to the as well as a new footbridge link across waterway, with generous interior gardens. the stream to the Enfield and Castle Street Car Park site to the north. Five blocks are proposed in the adjacent plan, ranging between 2 and 5-storeys - the heights reduce to 2 and 3-storeys at the south-west of the site adjacent to the existing 2-storey dwellings along St Johns Road, and rise up to 4 and EXISTING 5-storeys at the northern and southern PLANTING ENFIELD AND ends. CASTLE STREET RIVERSIDE CAR PARKS Approximately 90 dwellings could WALK be accommodated across the site, or A ALLOTMENTS AND alternatively around 180 student rooms. COMMUNAL GARDENS Undercroft parking is proposed to reduce SITE ACCESS the impact that car parking has on the STREAM site and to maximise the amenity space. NEW FOOT B BRIDGE Element Amount E Site area 0.71 ha
C D F Potential no. dwellings 91 no. / 182 no. student Site boundary rooms Building height Block A 5 storeys G I Block B, E, F, H and I 4 storeys Block C and D 3 storeys BOUNDARY PLANTING Block G 2 storeys Current site photo RIVERSIDE ST JOHNS RD WALK Open space / gardens 0.65 ha Parking provision Undercroft 0 50m H
STREAM Taunton Garden Town 2040 Town Garden Taunton Prospectus Centre Town
0 50m Masterplan 82 Example of a residential schemeVisual on the former Bus Station site
The Council is currently progressing a Therefore, the option presented below 23. Tower Street car park scheme in the short to medium restricts development to the southern term to boost the retail offer in the town part of the site, and keeps heights to (former Bus centre. 2 and 3-storeys to be sympathetic Station) to the 2-storey bar and kitchen. This could provide around 29 dwellings. The Buses of Somerset have given notice on remainder of the site could be a high the bus station in the middle of the town, quality public landscaped area as an and the site is now completely owned extension of Goodland Gardens to the by Somerset West and Taunton Council. north of the site. This will create a positive This presents the opportunity to develop edge to the River Tone, and continue the the site. Options cover leisure and improvements to the riverside footpath, commercial uses as well as residential which links a number of the sites. schemes, all sympathetic to the heritage and conservation listings applied to the area. The site is located in the context of listed buildings, including the Museum of E ON GOODLAND Somerset and the Winchester Arms, now R T RIVE GARDENS Mackenzies Bar and Kitchen, to the west. RIVERSIDE There are also archaeological remains in WALK the northern part of the site.
STREAM EXTENSION TO GOODLAND Element Amount GARDENS Site boundary Site area 0.44 ha ALLOTMENTS AND GARDENS Potential no. dwellings 28 no. EXISTING Building height Block A 2 storeys PLANTING Block B 3 storeys
MACKENZIES BAR Open space / gardens 0.34 ha A AND KITCHEN Parking provision Car free B Current site photo GARDENS
CASTLE ST CASTLE 0 50m GREEN TOWER ST Taunton Garden Town 2040 Town Garden Taunton Prospectus Centre Town GAUMONT PALACE 0 50m THEATRE (MECCA BINGO) Masterplan 84 Example of how MichaelVisual Paul House could be regenerated
height steps up from 3-storeys at the 24. Michael Paul eastern end (its existing height), to 5-storeys at the corner of Castle Street House and Corporation Street, giving the corner Michael Paul House is located within the prominence and responding to the space heart of the town centre, at the junction in which it is set, as well as the 4-storey of Castle Street, Corporation Street and County Hall at the opposite corner of the Tower Street, opposite County Hall and junction. within easy reach of the High Street. The Within this building, around 30 dwellings site currently consists of a U-shaped could be accommodated, which wrap office building arranged over three floors. around an internal courtyard garden. Due Prior approval has been granted for its to its central location in the town centre, it conversion to residential use in August is proposed to be a car free scheme. 2019. The masterplan presented below proposes an alternative building layout, with the building wrapping around the corner of the site to provide a positive outlook from all angles. The building TOWER ST
GAUMONT PALACE THEATRE (MECCA BINGO) A Element Amount
Site area 0.18 ha Site boundary Potential no. dwellings 29 no. ALLOTMENTS AND COMMUNAL Building height Block A and C 3 storeys GARDENS Block B 5 storeys
CASTLE ST B Open space / gardens 0.11 ha C Parking provision Car free Current site photo
0 25m CORPORATION ST Taunton Garden Town 2040 Town Garden Taunton Prospectus Centre Town
0 25m Masterplan 86 TRENCHARD WAY 0 200m
PRIORY PARK
PRIORY BRIDGE RD
RIVER TONE COUNTY BRIDGE ST CRICKET GROUND PRIORY AVE VICTORIA PARK
ST JAMES ST
TANGIER WAY NORTH ST
Public realm sites provide opportunities to increase the greening of the town, CASTLE ST providing more street trees, planting and grassed areas to reduce the amount of hard surfacing in the town. 25 27 Active travel and public realm EAST ST 25. Castle Green
HIGH ST 26 CORPORATION ST 26. North Street, Fore Street Taunton Garden Town 2040 Town Garden Taunton Prospectus Centre Town and East Street 27. The Parade
88 Travel Active and Public Realm 28. High Street 28 91 station and associated waiting area, This collection of streets make up the In doing so, the street’s capacity for 25. Castle Green incorporating the following: 26. North, Fore and epicentre of Taunton, lined by shops, pedestrians and cyclists vastly increases, Castle Green is an important piece of • The removal of all through traffic to restaurants, banks and commercial enabling people to wander freely through East Streets Town Centre Prospectus Taunton Garden Town 2040 public realm within Taunton. Set at enable people to move freely through premises. The pedestrian environment the town centre at a suitable distance the heart of the West End, it provides the area, promoting active travel. has scope for improvement, due to a from one another. a key setting to a historic part of the combination of traffic, poor materials in A high quality public realm would be town, knitting together the Museum of • The addition of a new cafe/community places and lack of a coherent approach THE BRIDGE created, with additional tree planting Somerset (Taunton Castle), the Castle space on the side of Mecca Bingo in to the public realm. (where underground servicing permits), Hotel, the Winchester Arms (Mackenzies the form of a ‘glass box’ fronting onto A COVID-19 initiative turning East and seating and new paving materials Bar and Kitchen), the Old Municipal the Green, adding a modern element Fore Streets into pedestrian and cycle creating a place in which people want Buildings (Registry Office) and the to the currently blank facade which ST JAMES ST only environments has illustrated that the to dwell. Increased footfall and linger Gaumont Palace Theatre (Mecca Bingo). addresses the square. town can continue to function without time equate to increased spending in The Green was recently re-designed to • An extension of the grassed area in the vehicular movement in these locations, the town centre, boosting the economy create an attractive open space in the western part of the square along with other than for buses, disabled and and success of the High Street. The heart of the town, replacing car parking new tree formal planting, maintaining ADDITIONAL emergency access. additional tree planting would also add and bus stops. However, the design the diagonal desire line towards the TREE PLANTING to the greening of the town centre. The This treatment could be formalised and below illustrates how this can be taken Museum, and increasing the amount of improved ease, safety and enjoyment of expansion along North Street considered. further following the removal of the bus green space. walking and cycling in this part of town These streets would be closed to would contribute to the goals set out in NARROWED all traffic other than buses, disabled the Taunton Local Cycling and Walking CARRIAGEWAY access, and emergency vehicles. The FOR BUSES, Infrastructure Plan. DISABLED ACCESS carriageway could be narrowed as far as possible, redressing the balance NORTH ST AND EMERGENCY VEHICLES ONLY between pedestrian and vehicular space.
DISABLED PARKING SPACES AT KEY ST MARY LOCATIONS CHURCH SQARE MAGDALENE North, Fore and CHURCH East Streets
WIDER PAVEMENTS MAGDALENE ST CASTLE BOW ADDITIONAL HAMMET ST ADDITIONAL TREE SEATING HISTORIC GARDENS PLANTING, BRINGING REINSTATED AT THE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE THE PARADE INTO THE STREET
BUS STOPS RETAINED
EAST ST
Taunton Garden Town 2040 Town Garden Taunton Prospectus Centre Town FO MARKET RE ST NARROWED CARRIAGEWAY An idea of what the detailed changes HOUSE FOR BUSES, DISABLED could look like at Castle Green 0 100m ACCESS AND EMERGENCY VEHICLES ONLY 90 Restored garden in front of the Grade II listed Market House on the Parade
27. The Parade The Parade The Parade sits at the junction between North Street, Fore Street and Corporation BUS AND DISABLED ACCESS Street, and provides the setting to The ONLY CARRIAGEWAY Market House, built in 1772. The space REDUCED IN WIDTH is currently dominated by a roundabout, ST NORTH prioritising vehicular movement around VASTLY the Burma War Memorial. INCREASED AREA FOR PEDESTRIANS The historic photo below illustrates that FORE ST this area was once a public space with formal gardens leading up to the Market House. It would be fitting as part of the towns pedestrianisation programme to BURMA WAR MEMORIAL reinstate the gardens that once stood here TREE-LINED GRASSED This public space would tie together AREA WITH BEDDING HISTORIC the pedestrian priority at Fore Street PLANTING GARDENS and North Street creating an attractive RESTORED and welcoming heart to the town. It C would also enable people to stand at ORP OR AT the memorial and appreciate the vista IO N to St. Mary Magdalene Church along ST Hammet Street. It will also enable people to stand at the memorial once more and appreciate the vista to St Mary Magdalene Church along MARKET Hammet Street. 0 50m HOUSE
Historic photo of gardens at The Parade Taunton Garden Town 2040 Town Garden Taunton Prospectus Centre Town 92 95 28. High Street The High Street forms a pedestrianised Town Centre Prospectus Taunton Garden Town 2040 route between the Market House and MARKET Vivary Park, extending the town centre HOUSE shops, restaurants and commercial units BATH PLACE to the south. It currently contains a number of trees in large planters, but otherwise is simply paved and does not provide an enticing space in which to dwell. The aspiration is to greatly increase greening along the ADDITIONAL TREE AND High Street, introducing more planters SHRUB PLANTING and seating, and implementing higher quality paving materials. Along with this, CROWN WALK outdoor seating for cafés and restaurants will bring further activity into the street. 59-63 HIGH STREET AND The public realm improvements along CROWN WALK HIGH ST the High Street will create a continuous DEVELOPMENT high quality, pedestrian priority public realm network, stretching from The Bridge at the northern end of North Street, all the way to Vivary Park at the southern end of High Street, via Castle Green and The Parade, through NEW CAFE SEATING AREA a consistent and high quality palette of materials and street furniture. CRESCENT CAR PARK
IMPROVED PAVING MATERIALS
MARY ST High 0 50m VIVARY Street PARK
Taunton Farmers Market launched in 1999 and trades in the High Street every Thursday 0 200m
TRENCHARD WAY
PRIORY PARK
PRIORY BRIDGE RD
RIVER TONE 32 COUNTY BRIDGE ST CRICKET 29 GROUND PRIORY AVE VICTORIA A number of sites, including committed PARK sites, open up the river and stream frontage, providing aesthetic 30 improvements to around 1.4 km of the River Tone and approximately 500 metres of connected streams. ST JAMES ST In addition, green open space is proposed within each site for the residents to be able to access private TANGIER WAY NORTH ST amenity space. A significant biodiversity net gain is achievable, particularly on the sites which are currently car parks CASTLE ST
Green and blue infrastructure
29. Riverside Walks EAST ST Taunton Garden Town 2040 Town Garden Taunton Prospectus Centre Town
30. Riverside Path CORPORATION ST HIGH ST 31. Crescent Car Park
96 Green and Blue Infrastructure 32. Priory Avenue Roundabout 31 Idea first seen in the Taunton Rethink Vision 2014
Each of the site pages describe how 29. Riverside Walks the waterways can be opened up and A partial riverside walk currently exists the public realm improved to create a along the River Tone and some of the network of new links and connections other waterways in the town. However, into existing foot and cycle links along through the opportunity sites, there is the river. The creation of a continuous potential to both provide missing links route along the River Tone will provide and improve the quality of these spaces. an important pedestrian and cycle link
HIGH ST Eleven of the opportunity sites and public through Taunton, away from vehicular realm projects connect missing links movement and celebrating the beauty or improve existing links along the river of the Tone. and other waterways. These include the following (from north to south): • Firepool • Coal Orchard • Riverside Path • North Street • 1 Bridge Street • Riverain Lodge • Tangier Way South Riverside Path • Tangier Gas Works TAUNTON STATION • Unit 1 and 2 Castle Street height as the existing walkway, which 30. Riverside Path runs past the Goodlands Lane flats and • Enfield and Castle Street Car Parks along to Morrisons. A specific section of the river not covered • Tangier Car Park. by other opportunity sites is the riverside This would provide the final connection along the northern side of the River Tone CHIP LN path. This proposal is for the construction of a walkway which wraps around the to enable a continuous footpath to run edge of the buildings along the northern between Firepool in the north-east to PRIORY BRIDGE RD side of the River Tone, to the east of Tangier Central in the south-west, and
BRIDGE ST The Bridge and opposite the Coal all the sites through the town centre in CRICKET Orchard site. between. GROUND This could be in a broadwalk style, sitting above the level of the river at the same
ST JAMES ST
NORTH ST
TANGIER WAY
Taunton Garden Town 2040 Town Garden Taunton Prospectus Centre Town CASTL E S T
EAST ST 98
HIGH ST Existing footpaths
National Cycle Route 0 200m Proposed/ enhanced footpaths 101 31. Crescent Car 32. Priory Avenue
PRIORY PARK
Park 59-63 HIGH Roundabout Town Centre Prospectus Taunton Garden Town 2040 STREET AND The Crescent Car Park is the main CROWN WALK Priory Avenue Roundabout marks one town centre car park and is well used. DEVELOPMENT of the main gateways into the centre of However, it is currently unsightly, Taunton from the M5, along the Toneway. NARROWED containing no vegetation, except one CROWN WALK Currently a large flat roundabout with CARRIAGEWAY tree, and is surrounded by the backs of POTENTIAL FOR a grass centre and grassed verges, it dwellings and commercial properties, GRASSCRETE IN has potential to be improved in both presenting a poor first impression upon PARKING SPACES sustainable movement and landscape PEDESTRIAN arrival in the town centre. IMPROVED terms. CROSSING PEDESTRIAN LINKS TONEWAY There is significant potential to improve TO HIGH STREET Through the introduction of a Dutch- the visual appearance of the car park style roundabout, priority will be given CYCLE LANE and to introduce extensive green to pedestrians and cyclists, much like PRIORITY CYCLE NEW TREE PLANTING infrastructure, greatly improving this RE-SURFACED the example in Cambridge below. This CROSSING ROAD AND RE- BETWEEN PARKING PRIORY BRIDGE RD important gateway. Elements that could contributes to the towns aspirations PAINTED LINES SPACES be introduced include: for improved walking and cycling infrastructure. This will be complemented • The planting of trees and shrubs CRESCENT WAY by improving and expanding green NEW/INCREASED between rows of parking, with possible SHELL TREE PLANTING IN infrastructure at this important gateway, rain gardens and swales. AND AROUND THE THE CRESCENT through the use of large-scale tree ROUNDABOUT • Resurfacing the car park, removing planting, both along the roads and in unnecessary lines and re-painting any the centre of the roundabout, and other PRIORY AVE lines that are required so they are crisp landscape improvements, so as to NEW/INCREASED TREE create an attractive green gateway to PRIORITY PEDESTRIAN and neat, and the use of grasscrete PLANTING TO SCREEN SHELL CROSSING to define parking spaces and provide the Garden Town and a strong sense of GARAGE AND CREATE AN sustainable drainage. arrival. ATTRACTIVE GATEWAY Crescent Priory Avenue • Provision of cycle parking. 0 50m 0 50m Car Park Roundabout • Improved ticket machines, town centre information boards and wayfinding.
Grasscrete Car park Planting landscape and swales Pedestrian and cycle priority Taunton Garden Town 2040 Town Garden Taunton Prospectus Centre Town
The UK’s first “Dutch-style” roundabout Fendon Road, Cambridge 100 103 Realising Taunton’s significant defined by this document, will help us opportunity will require considerable sell the possibilities to our community, public and private investment. Evidence developers, businesses, funders and
based plans and funding are essential occupiers. The products will also be Town Centre Prospectus Taunton Garden Town 2040 to successful delivery; the Garden Town an effective tool to promote inward 2040 prospectus and video will be used investment. The online delivery plan as a well-presented summary package platform, due April 2021, will detail the to support and add weight to all Taunton live strategies, projects and activities that funding applications and individual together make up delivery of the Garden business cases for borrowing. Town vision. The ideas presented are ambitious and a clear translation of the vision, as Taunton Garden Town 2040 Town Garden Taunton Prospectus Centre Town 102 Next Steps
The Grade II listed Collar Factory’s private owner has commissioned Corbel Conservation and Shape Studio to redevelop the gateway site Taunton Garden Town 2040 104 Town Centre Prospectus References our openspaces andstreets Grow our town greener –transforming SWT, 2019 Taunton -DesignCharter andChecklist, Town Taunton - The Vision for Our Garden County Council Deane Borough Council andSomerset Taunton Garden Town Bid,Taunton TauntonGarden Town visitsomerset.co.uk/taunton/ TourismTaunton- Visit : https://www. SWT, 2020 Local Plan2040–Issues andOptions, sadmp/ planning-policy/adopted-local-plans/ somersetwestandtaunton.gov.uk/ and Proposals Maps: https://www. Development Management Plan Taunton DeaneSites Allocations and 2018, Taunton DeaneBorough Council Taunton DeaneCore Strategy 2011- Somerset Housing Strategy , SWT, 2019 SWT DesignGuide (draft), 2020 SWT TransportStrategy (draft), 2020 Strategy, SWT, 2020 Prosperity andEconomic Development ResiliencePlan, SWT, Action 2020 Carbon Neutrality andClimate SWT, 2020 Climate ChangeSummary Document, climate-emergency/ somersetwestandtaunton.gov.uk/ Climate Emergency: https://www. 2019 Corporate Strategy 2020-2024, SWT, documents Corporate, Strategy andspatial Policy Taunton andDistrict wide key , SWT, 2019 Taunton Strategic Flood Alleviation on knowledge, culture andbusiness and prosperouscommunity founded New shoots andblossom–a dynamic SWT, 2020 TGT PublicRealm DesignGuide(draft), 2019 Taunton Retail andLeisure Study, SWT, Taunton Retail Survey, SWT, 2019 Deane Borough Council,2008 Town Centre DesignCode,Taunton Taunton DeaneBorough Council,2008 TauntonTown Centre AreaPlan, Action neighbourhoods town centre, new andexisting Growing quality places to live – publicspace/ https://www.investtaunton.co.uk/ St James Street Pedestrianisation: trails-in-the-taunton-area/ Cycling routes: https://thetacc.org.uk/ androutes/taunton-upgrades www.gwr.com/plan-journey/stations- Taunton Station regeneration: https:// tauntons-park-ride/ com/somerset/routesand-maps/ Park andRide: https://www.firstgroup. Infrastructure Plan,SWT Local Cycling and Walking moving smarter Branching out –moving cleaner, Opportunities Update, LUC, 2017 Taunton DeaneGreen Infrastructure longrunmeadow.co.uk/ Longrun Meadow: http://www. and-open-spaces/ somersetwestandtaunton.gov.uk/parks- information: https://www. Existing Parks andopenspaces
Monkton Heathfield Garden Community farm-consultation/ thrivearchitects.co.uk/south-ofmanor- draft May2020: https://www. Land at Langaller, Monkton Heathfield, orchard/ gov.uk/planning/riverside-at-coal- https://www.somersetwestandtaunton. Coal Orchard, Taunton Riverside: media/2121/firepool-consultation.pdf somersetwestandtaunton.gov.uk/ Firepool Masterplan: https://www. site/ planning-policy/nexus-25-employment- somersetwestandtaunton.gov.uk/ Nexus 25:https://www. investtaunton.co.uk/ Invest Taunton: https://www. Draft Cultural Strategy, SWT, 2020 Summary Report, SWT, 2019 Improvements SchemeNon-Technical Arts Taunton: https://artstaunton.co.uk/ 2014 BartonStatementand Access Willmore,, Land at South West Taunton Design staplegrove.html http://www.keeparchitecture.co.uk/ Staplegrove Framework Masterplan: SWT%20Executive.pdf?T=10 pack%2020th-May-2020%2018.15%20 documents/g2297/Public%20reports%20 somersetwestandtaunton.gov.uk/ draft, May 2020:https://democracy. Concept PlanandDesignPrinciples,
105 Town Centre Prospectus Centre Town Taunton Garden Town 2040 Town Garden Taunton 107 Town Centre Prospectus Taunton Garden Town 2040
Multiple Teapot Creative Page 50 Galliford Try and Mitchell Architects Prepared by Multiple BDP Page 54 MIDAS, AHR and Multiple Panoptic Lavigne Lonsdale Multiple Craig Stone Page 57 BDP Multiple National Rail Page 58 Nash Partnership Page 13 UKHO Page 65 Altitude Asset Page 30 Matt Sweeting Photography Management and Grayscale architecture + Page 34 AHR and Lavigne Lonsdale design Page 42 Musgrove Park Hospital Page 69 WSP & 43 and Somerset NHS Foundation Trust Page 79 Hickleys
Page 44 Great Western Railway Page 87 Acorn Developments (GWR) Page 101 Cambridgeshire County On behalf of Page 46 Churchill Retirement Living Council, Skanska UK
Taunton Garden Town 2040 Town Garden Taunton Prospectus Centre Town and WaveFX Page 47 Platinum Skies (AHH) Page 103 Forward Space and Page 49 Henry Boot Developments Corbel Conservation
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