The delivery of a major new employment site on the edge of Taunton will still take place even if amended plans to dual the A358 are approved.

The Nexus 25 site lies on the eastern side of junction 25 of the M5, being connected to both the motorway and the A358 by a roundabout constructed as part of a £19.2m road improvement scheme.

National Highways is currently consulting on amended proposals to dual the A358 between Taunton and Ilminster, including the replacement of this roundabout (which only opened in January 2021) with a signal-controlled crossroads.

HBD (formerly known as Henry Boot Developments) has now clarified that it still intends to bring forward the Nexus 25 site despite these planned changes – though it has not confirmed when construction could begin.

James Digby, director and head of region at HBD, said: “We are currently reviewing the new proposals from National Highways, which were published last week as part of the next round of public consultation for the proposed A358 upgrade.

“We remain committed to bringing Nexus 25 forward as an exciting and prominent business location. Its strategic location at junction 25 of the M5 means that the scheme will be an important development for Taunton and the wider region.”

Somerset County Gazette: Revised plans for dualling the A358 between Taunton and Ilminster. Credit: National Highways. Revised plans for dualling the A358 between Taunton and Ilminster. Credit: National Highways. (Image: National Highways)

The Nexus 25 site is subject to a local development order (LDO), which allows a local authority – in this case, Somerset West and Taunton Council – to speed up the planning process.

The LDO specifies what kind of development is permitted on a given site, and means construction of each new building or phase can begin more quickly, provided that all conditions surrounding the use of the land and access to it are met.

In a joint statement, the district council and Somerset County Council stated the roundabout had been delivered at a time when there were fewer guarantees that the A358 dualling scheme would be delivered.

A spokesman said: “The plans are currently being consulted on by National Highways, and we are part of that process. Value for money is a requirement of funding for the scheme between National Highways and we’ll continue to work in close partnership with them on the proposals.

“At the time we finalised the junction 25 scheme there was no guarantee that the A358 scheme would be implemented, and it had not been designed by National Highways. Development and design of the junction 25 project began nearly seven years ago, and the current layout will have been operational for several years by the time the A358 dualling is realised.

“The junction 25 scheme needed to be delivered within a specific time frame to qualify for funding and it needed to be operational, with full access to the proposed Nexus industrial park to ensure Taunton’s future economic growth wasn’t held up.

“The Nexus 25 site is still the subject of an LDO which is active until 2033. It is not impacted by the phosphate enrichment issue on the Somerset Levels and Moors Ramsar site.”

Somerset County Gazette: A signal-controlled crossroads will replace the current Nexus 25 Roundabout near Taunton. A signal-controlled crossroads will replace the current Nexus 25 Roundabout near Taunton. (Image: National Highways)

The county council said that it could not provide precise figures for the cost of the Nexus 25 roundabout within the wider Junction 25 scheme.

To take part in the A358 dualling consultation, visit  www.nationalhighways.co.uk/our-work/south-west/a358-taunton-to-southfields between May 24 and June 26.

In addition to the online consultation, two further drop-in events will be staged on the following dates:

June 8, 11am-8pm: Somerset County Cricket Club, The Cooper Associates County Ground, St. James Street, Taunton

June 11, 11am-6pm: Taunton Racecourse, Orchard Portman, nr. Taunton

Those without internet access can request a free copy of the consultation materials by calling 0300 123 5000 or emailing A358TauntontoSouthfields@nationalhighways.co.uk.

Following the consultation, National Highways will submit a formal application for the dualling scheme – known as a development consent order (DCO) – to the Planning Inspectorate before the end of the year.

A public inquiry will then be held, with transport secretary Grant Shapps MP expected to make a final decision by the spring of 2024 – around the time that the ongoing dualling of the A303 near Sparkford is due to be completed.

If approval is granted, the dualled A358 is expected to be open to the public by 2028.