A new roundabout designed to ease Bridgwater’s traffic woes may not be built until dozens of homes within a major new development have been completed.

Countryside Properties put forward detailed plans in January to deliver 260 homes on Bower Lane, on the northern side of the A372 Westonzoyland Road and a short distance from the M5 motorway.

The new homes (dubbed ‘Strawberry Grange’) will be accessed from a new roundabout which could connect the A372 to a new spine road which will eventually connect the site to the A39 Bath Road.

But the developer has now requested the roundabout be delivered after a portion of the new homes have been built, rather than before any building on the houses can begin.

Under the original planning consent, no development within the site can begin before the roundabout has been delivered, except for clearing away vegetation and preparing a means of access for construction vehicles.

Somerset County Gazette:

The developer wishes to replace this with a condition which stated “no dwelling shall be occupied until the new roundabout has been installed” – without specifying how many homes would be completed (and left vacant) before the roundabout was built.

A spokesman for the developer said: “The proposed variation will still restrict occupation and associated residential trip generation prior to the delivery of infrastructure necessary to accommodate such trips.”

In addition to the Strawberry Grange site, the new roundabout will also provide a connection via Dunwear Lane to a planned development of 560 homes on the southern side of the A372 – a decision upon which is still pending.

Both sites form part of a wider allocation within the council’s Local Plan, which allocated the land south of the A39 and either side of the A372 to deliver up to 1,200 homes by 2032.

Countryside announced in April that it would be delivering 78 affordable homes as part of the Strawberry Grange development as part of a new partnership with the housing association LiveWest.

Somerset County Gazette:

But Michelle Heal, who lives on Janson Close near the development site, said allowing the changes to the roundabout would put Bridgwater’s road network under serious pressure.

She said: “Bridgwater’s infrastructure is already severely overwhelmed. Currently there are not enough school places, doctors or dentists within the immediate area, and the roads are gridlocked most days.

“To build on the old Bowers Flowers site will create even more traffic and pollution to the neighbouring houses, and strain a road structure that is already at breaking point.”

While the council has not yet granted permission for the Countryside scheme, LiveWest representatives have claimed the process is “moving forwards” and approval is expected to happen in a matter of weeks.

This would enable work to begin on site in June or July, with the first homes being available by late-2023.

The council is expected to make a decision on the roundabout proposal by the early-summer.