Somerset Council is looking at a fresh way to regenerate one of Taunton’s most important brownfield sites by seeking a development partner.
Firepool, a 17-acre site between Taunton Railway Station, Trenchard Way and the River Tone, is seen as a strategic gateway to the county town.
The site has already benefited from significant public investment, including land assembly, remediation, transport infrastructure, public realm improvements, active travel connections and the Firepool Centre for Digital Innovation.
Now the Council’s Executive is being asked to approve a proposal to procure a suitable development partner in a bid to bring forward long-held regeneration at Firepool and test the market for what can realistically be delivered.
The existing Firepool Masterplan will remain important to any future regeneration with its principles helping to shape development.
Working with a partner will bring in the expertise and investment needed while reducing the Council’s risk.
Councillor Mike Rigby, the Council’s Lead Member for Economic Development, Planning and Assets, said:
Firepool is a nationally significant brownfield regeneration opportunity and a gateway into Taunton. The Council has already invested heavily in preparing the site and is committed to seeing it developed in a way that supports the future growth and prosperity of the county town.
The Firepool Masterplan remains an important guide for the site’s future. We are now seeking a development partner who can work with us to deliver its ambitions in a way that responds to today’s market conditions and brings forward sustainable, high-quality development.
This approach allows the Council to retain influence over the future of the site while benefiting from external expertise and investment. Any preferred partner and any proposals for the site would return to Executive for consideration before any final decisions are made.
The full report can be found in the Executive papers
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is Firepool?
Firepool is a significant brownfield regeneration site in Taunton town centre. It sits between Taunton Railway Station, Trenchard Way and the River Tone and is an important part of the wider Taunton Garden Town vision.
2. Why is Firepool important?
Firepool is an opportunity to make better use of underdeveloped town centre land and support the future of Taunton. The long-term aim is to bring forward development that supports housing, jobs, public spaces, movement through the town centre and wider regeneration.
3. What has happened on the site so far?
Public investment has already supported land assembly, remediation, transport infrastructure, public realm improvements, active travel connections and the Firepool Centre for Digital Innovation. Some parts of the wider site have already seen development, but important areas remain undeveloped.
4. What decision is the Council being asked to make now?
The Executive is being asked to approve the start of a procurement process to find a development partner. This would allow the Council to test what the market can realistically deliver for undeveloped areas of the site. It is not a final decision on exactly what will be built.
5. Is the Council selling Firepool?
No sale to a specific developer is being approved at this stage. The proposal would start a procurement process which may lead to a future land transaction, but any preferred developer, land transaction or Development Agreement would need to come back to Executive for a further decision.
6. Why is the Council considering this approach?
The Council has carried out detailed viability, technical, legal and market work over the last 18 months. The proposed approach is intended to test what can realistically be delivered while retaining Council oversight over the next stages.
7. Will the Masterplan be delivered?
The adopted masterplan remains an important document and its principles will inform future proposals, whilst enabling flexibility to respond to market conditions.
8. Why can’t the Council simply build the site itself?
The report explains that direct Council delivery would involve significant financial and development risk. The proposed route is intended to bring in development expertise and investment while reducing the Council’s exposure to direct development risk.
9. What is a Development Agreement?
A Development Agreement is a legal agreement between the Council and a development partner. It would set out expectations, obligations, and safeguards for how the site is brought forward. The detailed agreement would only be considered after procurement and would require a further Executive decision.
10. How will the Council keep influence over what happens?
The Council would retain influence through the procurement process, the development brief, the Development Agreement, future Executive decisions and the planning process. Any planning application would also need to be considered through the normal process.
11. Could the final development look different from the masterplan?
Yes. The report says future proposals are likely to need flexibility because of viability and market conditions. However, proposals would still be expected to respond to the adopted principles of the masterplan and explain any significant differences.
12. What types of development could come forward?
The final mix of development is not being decided at this stage. The procurement process would test what developers can realistically bring forward. The Council’s aim is to secure the best achievable balance of regeneration, placemaking, financial and social value outcomes.
13. Will there still be commercial or community uses?
Yes, though the Council will test options through the procurement process and will seek outcomes that support the town centre and wider regeneration of Taunton. The exact mix of uses is not being decided at this stage and will depend on viability, market response, planning considerations and future decisions.
14. What about affordable housing?
Affordable housing will be considered through the planning and viability process. The report recognises that viability is a significant issue for the site, so any future proposal would need to set out its position and evidence at the appropriate stage.
15. What about flood risk?
Flood risk is one of the technical issues being addressed. The Council has commissioned specialist advice and is engaging with the Environment Agency to reflect previous land-raising and flood mitigation work. Further technical work is intended to give greater clarity before the site moves forward.
16. What about drainage and infrastructure?
The report identifies existing drainage and infrastructure constraints. These are among the issues being considered as part of the technical work and preparation for procurement. Future development proposals would need to address infrastructure and site management requirements.
17. What role does Homes England have?
Homes England has previously provided funding connected to the site. The Council is working with Homes England on the relevant funding agreements and any future land transaction would need to comply with those requirements.
18. When will residents and businesses have a say?
There will be further engagement as proposals develop. Any future planning application would also involve the normal planning consultation process, giving residents, businesses and stakeholders the opportunity to comment on detailed proposals.
19. What happens next if Executive agrees the recommendations?
If agreed, officers would continue technical, legal and commercial work, finalise procurement material and begin the process of identifying a suitable development partner. A preferred developer and any proposed land transaction or Development Agreement would come back to Executive before any final commitment is made.
