Work on a major employment site on the edge of Taunton is still be expected to start next year despite the ongoing impact of the coronavirus.

The Nexus 25 will be built on the eastern side of the M5, near the Taunton Gateway park and ride and the A358 leading to Ilminster.

Somerset County Council is currently upgrading Junction 25, including the creation of a new access road to connect the site to the motorway.

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Henry Boot Developments has now confirmed it will start work on the wider site early in 2021, once most of the motorway junction work has been completed.

Craig Mathias, Henry Boot's senior development surveyor, said: "The Junction 25 works are being delivered by Alun Griffiths on behalf of Somerset County Council - we understand that their delivery programme remains on track for summer next year.

"In terms of development, we are continuing to move forward with the scheme with a view to getting on site in 2021."

The Nexus 25 site could eventually include a school, a hotel and health centre, as well as providing office space and being home to an innovation hub for businesses.

The site is subject to a local development order (LDO) by Somerset West and Taunton Council - meaning different aspects can be awarded planning permission more quickly provided they meet specific criteria for how the area should look and be used.

As part of the Junction 25 upgrade, the county council is constructing a new roundabout near the park and ride site, which will link up with both the M5 and the A358.

Once this new roundabout has been put in place, Henry Boot's contractors will construct a spur road leading off from it which will connect the site up to both routes.

The layout of upgrades to junction 25 of the M5 near Taunton

A county council spokesman said: "The M5 Junction 25 improvement scheme is still on programme to complete as planned in the summer of 2021. The scheme is still on budget.

"We have an agreement with the Nexus 25 developers that will enable them to access the site to begin construction shortly before completion.

"Under the contractor’s current phased plan, traffic will use the new link road and Nexus 25 roundabout in early-2021. This will enable the work on the existing A358 to be completed as part of the planned traffic management.

"However, the new link road and Nexus 25 roundabout will not be formally complete until the summer of 2021."