Staplegrove West Garden Town Neighbourhood
Taunton
Local Planning Authority: Somerset Council (Previously Taunton Deane Council)
Client: Ptarmigan & Bloor Homes
Status: Outline planning consent
Project type: Strategic Land, New Neighbourhood
Role: Masterplanning, Planning
Shaping a Garden Community for Taunton’s Future
Staplegrove is one of Somerset’s most ambitious Garden Communities, and Origin3 has been at the heart of its evolution – from vision to delivery.
Located to the north of Taunton, Staplegrove is a key element of the Taunton Garden Town initiative, identified for growth in the Taunton Deane Core Strategy.
Origin3 was instructed in 2014 to lead the planning and masterplanning process for the Staplegrove outline application, and our involvement in this project has now extended over a decade. From securing the initial outline planning consent to addressing complex environmental challenges, delivering the design code, and coordinating Reserved Matters for Phase 1, Origin3 has played a continuous and central role in shaping both the vision and delivery of this strategic Garden Community.
From the outset, our approach was guided by a landscape-led vision and underpinned by extensive engagement with the Local Authority and a broad range of stakeholders. The resulting wider Staplegrove Masterplan makes provision for up to 1,500 homes alongside a new local centre incorporating a primary school, employment land, a new spine road, and substantial green infrastructure—creating a sustainable, connected, and thriving neighbourhood. Our role also included contributing to Taunton’s strategic housing policy through active involvement in the Site Allocations and Development Management Policies DPD, helping to ensure that Staplegrove was recognised as a key site in meeting local housing needs.
A significant challenge emerged during the planning process in the form of nutrient neutrality, with phosphate pollution threatening to stall development across the region. In response, we worked in collaboration with Stantec to take a pioneering approach: designing two Integrated Constructed Wetlands at Longfield and Nailsbourne, just north of the Staplegrove site.
These planning-approved wetlands provide a direct and effective solution to phosphate mitigation. They treat nutrient-rich water before it enters the sensitive Somerset Levels Ramsar site, enabling the Staplegrove development to proceed. In addition to reducing pollution, the wetlands restore historic ecosystems, improve biodiversity, and contribute to nature recovery—representing one of the UK’s first purpose-built, site-connected solutions for phosphate neutrality and setting a new national standard.
With outline consent and wetlands approval secured, we continue to play an active role in delivering the Staplegrove vision. We are now working alongside Bloor to implement the approved Design Code and coordinate the Phase 1 Reserved Matters for Staplegrove West.
Staplegrove exemplifies our integrated approach to masterplanning—bringing together placemaking, environmental stewardship, and infrastructure innovation. Our team continues to lead the transition from vision to delivery, working to create a place that is sustainable, resilient, and rooted in quality design.