Groundbreaking: work starts on spine road to restore £20m Wellington railway station
Bloor Homes has held a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the official start of construction on a crucial spine road that will provide access to Wellington's new £20m railway station in Somerset.
The ceremony was attended by Gideon Amos MP (Taunton & Wellington), who cut the first turf to get work under way, alongside and senior members of Bloor Homes’ Exeter team.
It comes soon after Somerset Council's planning committee west unanimously granted full planning permission for Bloor Homes’ development of 178 homes on land west of Nynehead Road at the end of February, which includes the new spine road.
Bloor Homes will deliver access to the new station, its car park, transport interchange and a 'station square' public open space featuring the original apex of the Wellington Monument, with the existing access road to the Lidl supermarket being extended to the north-west.
Gideon Amos MP has been instrumental in securing this landmark project for Wellington which has full government backing. Rail services will finally be returning the town more than 60 years after the original station closed as part of the infamous Beeching cuts in the 1960s, resulting in the closure over 2,300 stations and approximately 5,000 miles of rail track including Wellington.
Construction on the spine road began at the start of March, with contractors under obligation to complete the route and the foundations of the 'station square' by September 2026. The new train station is expected to be operational by late-2028.
As well as a new station square and mobility hub, the new development includes significant community benefits, including £2 million in Section S106 contributions, 9 acres of open spaces and play facilities, and 2 acres of employment use land.
The local area will also benefit from walking and cycling routes provided both along the entire length of the spine road and along the western boundary towards the B3187 Taunton Road.
Bradley Davison, Regional Managing Director for Bloor Homes’ Exeter region, said: “Having completed the purchase of the new site in Wellington with outline planning consent for up to 200 homes in August last year, it has only taken six months to reach such a significant point. This is thanks to the ongoing support for the project from Mr Amos, a positive collaboration with the Council to deliver the town’s housing needs alongside the long-awaited station access, and a concerted team effort.
“The new development of 178 two, three and four bedroom quality, energy efficient homes at our new Lillebonne Place development in Wellington will continue our long and proud association with the town, following the previous success of our nearby Longforth development. It’s great to be back in this vibrant location to help deliver the infrastructure and investment Wellington needs to thrive.”
Gideon Amos MP, said: “I am delighted to be breaking ground for the building of the access road to Wellington getting its station back over 60 years after its closure by Harold Macmillan’s then Conservative government.
“Last year, when station projects were being cancelled around the country it was Wellington residents and key town councillors coming out in force, which helped me build multi-party support from across the West Country and win the funding that will see a new one come forward.
“Today, thanks to locally based Cherwyn Developments and to Bloor Homes and my colleagues on Somerset Council, our town is very much on the road to its new station.”
Mr Amos said an update on progress on the new station itself would be provided in due course.
The two acres of employment use land will be located nearest the station, supporting local employment opportunities and economic growth in the area.
For more information about the new homes in Wellington, visit bloorhomes.com