A MAJOR housing development on the eastern edge of Bridgwater may already be unviable, according to a council report.

Winters and Edward Ware Homes applied for permission to build 260 homes at the southern end of Bower Lane near the A372, as part of the wider development of land to the west of the M5.

Sedgemoor District Council granted outline planning permission for the development in June 2018, with the understanding that a new roundabout is built on the A372 to link up with a new spine road through the wider development site.

But the plans may come back to the council in September after concerns were raised that the development may no longer be viable.

This was revealed in a report published before a meeting of the council’s development committee on August 20.

The council said its legal agreement with the developer (including the level of affordable housing) was “completed and waiting for execution” – though questions remained about the precise nature of the new road.

A spokesperson said: “Viability work is being undertaken and may lead to future re-consideration by the committee in September.”

As part of the online permission, the developer committed itself to ensuring 30 per cent of the new properties would be affordable – the equivalent of 78 dwellings.

It also committed to providing public open space on the site and providing a new roundabout on the A372, which would provide the southern end of the new road through the “East Bridgwater allocation”.

It is intended that subsequent developments will complete the road in stages, with the final section linking up to the A39 near the town’s community hospital.

The council’s development committee will discuss the viability issue when it meets in Bridgwater on August 20 from 9:30am. The public are welcome to attend.