Taunton development could soon be better connected to town centre

Summerfield Developments has been gradually constructing the Killams Park estate in the south of the town, which will eventually comprise 315 homes and possibly a care home (where a primary school was originally approved).

The new homes – which were first approved by Taunton Deane Borough Council in December 2013 – are relatively isolated from the town centre, with residents either having to drive on the busy B3170 South Road or navigate the existing narrow footpaths to Vivary Park.

But that could change in the near-future as Somerset Council seeks to enhance the existing walking and cycling links between the park and the new homes after delivering improvements further to the north.

The Taunton local cycling and walking infrastructure plan (LCWIP) – which was published in early-2022 – identified numerous improvements which needed to be made to deliver the key ‘red route’ running through the town from north to south.

The aspirational ‘red route’ begins in the Pyrland area, runs to Taunton railway station, passes through the Firepool and Coal Orchard regeneration sites and then follows the existing route through the town centre to the pedestrianised High Street and the entrance to Vivary Park.

From there it passes down through the park (following the route of the East Deane Way long-distance footpath), with the surface becoming stony and the path narrowing considerably as it meets an existing footpath from the Killams Park estate.

The ‘red route’ then bends into the existing Sherford residential area and will eventually terminate at the Orchard Grove development, which is currently being constructed.

Existing footpath near Killams Park. (Image: Daniel Mumby)

Somerset Council is in the process of delivering numerous parts of the ‘red route’ using money from the government’s future high street fund, providing improved links between key regeneration sites and the town centre.

A revamped crossing over the A38 Upper High Street, which links Vivary Park to High Street and the Market House roundabout, was completed on August 2 on time and on budget, just in time for this year’s Taunton Flower Show.

Other improvements – including the boulevard through the Firepool site and a planned widening of the existing footbridge near Coal Orchard – are expected to be completed within the next 12 months.

With these key sections of the ‘red route’ in place, the council is seeking funding to weigh up its options for how the section south of the park (which lies close to the Sherford Stream) could be improved – whether through widening the existing paths, or a better surface or providing better links with other rights of way.

The revamped crossing over the A38 Upper High Street. (Image: Daniel Mumby)

A spokesman said: “We don’t have any funding in place to look at a route south just yet.

“Regarding the improvements to the north-south LCWIP route, we are currently looking at our funding options.

“Depending on how that progresses it will impact on what were able to deliver for this route.”

The council was awarded nearly £410,000 by Active Travel England in late-March to design and develop new active travel schemes, in order to attract future capital funding from either central government or housing developers.

The existing footpath from the Killams Park estate to the ‘red route’ junction links Mountfield Road (near the Wyvern) to Sherford Road, which leads to the neighbouring village of Trull.

The footpath is uneven, overgrown and very narrow in places, snaking through farmland and sports pitches – making it difficult for pushchairs, shopping carts and wheelchairs to use it safely.

Under the legal agreements signed between the council and Summerfield Developments (known as a Section 106 agreement), funding has been set aside to deliver numerous walking and cycling improvements which must be implemented by the time the final house is completed and occupied.

This includes an unspecified contribution towards “the construction of a new cycle route between Mountfield Road and Sherford Road along the line of the existing footpath”.

Improvements could also be made to existing cycle route into the town centre near Bishop Fox’s School and Richard Huish College, and improved access to the existing bus services on Shoreditch Road.

A council spokesman said: “A contribution was secured through the Killams Park Section 106 agreement to deliver a number of schemes to improve pedestrian and cycling connectivity in south Taunton.

“At present we are looking at what can be delivered in this location.”

The council’s planning committee west is expected to approve plans to widen the Morrisons footbridge over the River Tone when it mets in Taunton on August 20 from 2pm.