A £7.2m bid for Government funding to help unlock a new Garden Community development in Staplegrove and deliver vital infrastructure – a road, more affordable housing and enabling a new primary school – has been successful.
The Government announced today that the council’s £7.2m bid submitted by Taunton Deane Borough Council’s bid to its Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF) is among those across the country to be awarded funding.
The money will help towards the early delivery of the £8m “spine road” to connect the A358 Staplegrove Road and Kingston Road, more affordable housing and enable the delivery of a much needed new primary school.
The funding is particularly important in terms of affordable housing, raising numbers from 15% of the total to approximately 25%.
The road – and other infrastructure – is key to developing two sites at Staplegrove that received outline planning consent late last year.
It is tremendous – to say the least – that we have been successful in securing this hugely important money for our Garden Town development,” said Cllr John Williams, Leader of the council. It will ensure that we can deliver tangible solutions to the concerns raised by so many in the community. We have an excellent track record in securing external funding, either on our own initiative or in partnership with others. I am grateful for the support of SCC and Taunton’s MP Rebecca Pow who also arranged a visit to the site by the Housing Minister to hear and view first hand, how critical this funding was for the community.
“Last but not least we must express our thanks and appreciation to all who put the bid together and presented such a compelling case. This award from the HIF Marginal Viability Fund will help to deliver the spine road – essential for the two developments at Staplegrove and bring forward this new Garden Community.”
The council resolved to grant outline consent for up to 915 homes, a primary school, employment land, local centre and open space on land at Staplegrove (east). The application was submitted by PM Asset Management Ltd.
A similar application submitted by Ptarmigan Staplegrove Ltd was for up to 713 homes, employment land, green infrastructure, landscaping, play area and sustainable urban drainage systems at Staplegrove (west).
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government announced that the investment for schemes nationwide “will fund key local infrastructure projects including new roads, cycle paths, flood defences and land remediation work, all essential ahead of building the homes.
“Without this financial support these projects would struggle to go ahead or take years for work to begin, delaying the homes communities need. Together with the government’s Industrial Strategy, it will provide high-quality infrastructure to support economic growth.”
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