A STRIP of land Network Rail no longer wants might not be sold to developers for a year.

The deadline for bids for the eight-acre site north of Taunton Station, which could accommodate homes and offices, was November 7.

A Network Rail spokeswoman said: “We hope to have a preferred bidder in the frame by the end of the year.

“They will then need to obtain planning permission before the land actually gets sold to them.

“This process could easily take nine to 12 months.”

Around 80 two- to four-bedroom homes could be built on the plot between Kingston Road and Obridge Road with several buildings demolished and an allotment ripped up.

The GWSRA building on an area of waste ground could be replaced by social housing, retirement apartments, a care home with a further 22 homes, while the allotments could be relocated to Obridge Yard.

Offices could go up on a smaller parcel of land between the station entrance and Kilkenny Car Park.

Taunton Station recently won £4.6million Government funding for improvements, including re-siting the main entrance to the south side, better passenger facilities, shops and a multi-storey car park.