WORK is progressing at the northern section of the Firepool regeneration site, which will include a new boulevard and restaurant.

Somerset Council’s contractors, Milestone, are on site advancing with plans to deliver the Firepool Boulevard, which will see a new walking and cycling route from Taunton Station to the River Tone.

The work is all part of a masterplan for the Firepool cattle market site, which remained unused in the town for decades. Other projects include the delivery of 430 dwellings, along with office, retail space and a cinema. 

It’s the first half of a £13 million project that will eventually create a 1.5km long safe, accessible and enjoyable cycling and walking link all the way from the railway station to Vivary Park.  The funding must be spent by March 2025.

Read More: Next stage of Firepool regeneration in Taunton to start soon

The development will use the same York stone paving used at the recent Railway Station multistorey car park development.

The entire site was raised by half a metre in 2023 to reduce the risk of flooding from the river and complementing planned flood prevention work at Firepool Lock.

On a visit to the site in May 2024, Lead Member for Economic Development, Planning & Assets, Cllr Ros Wyke, said: “This should be a real game-changer for the way that people get around our County Town, be it local residents or visitors arriving by train and bus.”

Read More: Firepool boulevard in Taunton to see work starting soon

The northern section of the boulevard is adjacent to the former red-brick Great Western Railway Goods House, which was constructed in the 1930s as part of improvements to Taunton Station’s goods facilities.

The GWR building is set to be converted into a restaurant, as part of works in the northern part of Firepool regeneration site. The ground floor is proposed to be extended outwards to provide a larger ground floor footprint that makes use of the external space to the south and west.