Next stage of Firepool regeneration in Taunton to start soon

Somerset Council has been seeking to move forward with the Firepool regeneration scheme, which will see the former cattle market site on Canal Road regenerated with a mixture of residential, commercial and cultural development.

The new access road linking the site to the A3087 Trenchard Way was completed in early-June 2023, and new connections to the local sewer system were installed over the summer, with a one-way system being in place on the A3038 Priory Bridge Road.

The council has now announced work will soon begin on the new boulevards through the site, which will connect the site to Taunton railway station and the existing walking and cycling routes into the town centre.

The existing National Cycle Network path on the north bank of the River Tone. (Image: Daniel Mumby)

The boulevards through the Firepool site form part of a new active travel route which will eventually run from the railway station through to Vivary Park, via the Coal Orchard regeneration site and a relocated junction over the A38 Upper High Street.

The northern boulevard runs from the new junction on Trenchard Way to Canal Way around the former GWR building, which will be converted into offices, commercial space and a restaurant under plans approved by Somerset West and Taunton Council in March 2022.

The southern boulevard – which was granted planning permission in November 2022 – will run from Canal Way to the existing cycle route along the River Tone, and will include the delivery of a new amphitheatre and water features.

The entire site was raised by half a metre by the summer of 2023, reducing the risk of flooding from the river and complementing planned flood prevention work at Firepool Lock, which is expected to get under way in the next 12 to 18 months.

Both boulevards through the site are being funded through a £13.9m grant provided by the government’s future high streets fund in December 2020 – money which must be spent in its entirety by March 2025.

The new access road into the Firepool site from the A3087 Trenchard Way. (Image: Somerset Council)

Of this funding, £1,250,000 was allocated towards completing the Coal Orchard regeneration and £2,257,398 was set aside for walking and cycling improvements, including the new crossing near Vivary Park.

The remaining £10,455,583 was allocated to the Firepool site, of which around half has already been spent.

Project officer Richard Brown said: “To date circa £5m has been expended on the development, consultation and approval of a master-plan and detailed planning permissions, contributions to the Somerset Digital Innovation Centre and Trenchard Way infrastructure, and the site-wide drainage and levels infrastructure.

“The original deadline for the future high streets fund has been extended to March 2025, with the proviso that any uncompleted works are in contract by September 2024.

“The northern boulevard and the wider Firepool site has on occasion provided space for anti-social behaviour. The type of activity includes vandalism, street drinking, drug abuse and drug dealing.

“By regenerating the site and facilitating significant activity associated with the new use of the former GWR building, this will deter those individuals from participating in the afore mentioned activity, thus making the centre of Taunton a safer and more appealing place to visit.

“This will have a positive impact on the quality of life and general well-being of those residents in the vicinity of the site.”

The entrance to the Firepool site from Canal Road. (Image: Daniel Mumby)

The council has confirmed that the work on the boulevard would “exhaust” the remaining allocation for the Firepool element (though the unspent active travel funding will remain to be spent elsewhere on the route to Vivary Park).

The tender for the northern boulevard work has already been awarded, meaning work can begin by late-February, while the contract for the southern boulevard will be awarded in the coming weeks.

A spokesman said: “We are budgeting for around £3m for the northern boulevard work, although we have the usual risk contingency budget in place – as you would expect on build projects of this nature.

“There were no particular savings to be made from tendering separately for the two parts of the boulevard, but we have taken this approach because the bids we received for delivery of the whole boulevard came in considerably over budget.

“To remain within our procurement guidelines and keep to the principals of a fair and open process, we then had to look at new procurement options. Splitting the scheme into two was the outcome.

“Work will start on the northern boulevard in February and we will probably tender for the southern boulevard work in March. The two projects are quite likely to overlap.”

Details of any closures of roads or public rights of way as a result of this construction will be announced in the coming weeks – as well the start date for the relocation of the Upper High Street crossing.

The council will shortly submit revised proposals for a new bridge for pedestrians and cyclists between Firepool and Coal Orchard, following the withdrawal of its original proposals in early-November 2023.