Taunton social housing plan faces delay as contractor pulls out

A major social housing scheme faces a potential delay after the main contractor pulled out of the project.

Somerset West and Taunton Council plans to replace "defective" prefabricated Woolaway homes in Taunton, providing 228 new houses and a community centre.

Construction for the initial phase of 47 homes began in 2021, with permission for another 111 approved last year.

The council has now confirmed there may be a delay in the next two phases as it works to find a new contractor.

Engie, now known as Equans UK, was appointed by the council as the main contractor in March 2020, and took possession of the Phase A sites in June 2021. The groundwork got under way in August that year.

Equans has not released a public statement explaining why it pulled out of the contract, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

Councillor Fran Smith, portfolio holder for housing, told the final full council meeting - before the new unitary Somerset Council took over: "We are re-procuring a contractor for Phases B and C due to the main contractor pulling out of new contracts in the South West."

The council has committed millions of pounds towards replacing the Woolaway homes, with phase A covering five separate sites in the Priorswood area of Taunton. Phase B includes properties in Durham Place and Oxford Place.

Phase C includes even-numbered properties at Hereford Drive, Southampton Row, parts of Dorchester Road, Dover Road and parts of Rochester Road.

Somerset Council is expected to announce the new contractor for the remaining homes later in the spring or early summer.

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