Work begins at Taunton

16 January 2008

Taunton © Getty Images

Somerset's £15million redevelopment of Taunton will get under way this week.

The diggers are set to move in on Thursday to begin knocking down part of the ground, the first steps of an ambitious two-year plan to rejuvenate the facilities.

Three new stands and a scoreboard will be erected as part of a scheme that will also see 65 luxury retirement apartments built around the ground.

There will be a new public space between the ground, the Brewhouse Theatre and the River Tone which will be fronted by a restaurant and shops, forming part of a proposed ‘Cultural Quarter’.

The stands are expected to be completed in August, while the apartments, many of which will boast views over the ground, should be finished by March 2009.

Pegasus Homes are spearheading the redevelopment, which has been five years in the planning.

Giles Clarke played a crucial role during the planning stage

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Giles Clarke, the former Somerset chairman who took over as chairman of the ECB late last year, was a key figure behind the scheme during his time at Taunton.

His successor, Andy Nash, said: “It has taken a great deal of work and assistance from partners such as the South West Regional Development Agency, Taunton Deane Borough Council and Project Taunton to get to the start date, and we are very grateful for their assistance.”

Somerset chief executive Richard Gould claims the new-look ground will not only benefit the club and its members, but also the surrounding area.

“This is an exciting time for Somerset,” he said. “The development will represent a benchmark for years to come as to how sports clubs can positively contribute to the communities in which they operate by providing a high-quality scheme for residential, business and leisure use.”

Peter Askew, chief executive at Pegasus Retirement Homes, said: “This has been an incredibly exciting project from the start and we welcome news that work can now begin on site.

“The start of demolition on Thursday also marks the commencement of Project Taunton, which is working to regenerate and bring Taunton to its full potential. We're very pleased to be involved in such a landmark project.”

For more information about Project Taunton, visit www.projecttaunton.co.uk or call 01823 250 809.