Taunton Deane MP, Rebecca Pow has welcomed the Government’s announcement that the bid for the Housing Infrastructure Fund for £7.2m for the Staplegrove Spine Road has been successful.

The £2.3b Housing Infrastructure Fund was launched to ensure the right infrastructure is in place at the right time, to unlock the high quality new homes that we need as a country.

The Rt Hon Sajid Javid, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government said;

“Without the right infrastructure, no new community will thrive – and no existing community will welcome new housing if it places strain on an already stretched local resource.”

The North Taunton Development will deliver 1,628 new homes for Taunton as well as a new primary school, employment space, shops, community facilities, public open green space, allotments and sports pitches. Central to this, is the need for a new spine road linking the A358 Staplegrove Road to Kingston Road which will help reduce traffic on Corkscrew Lane and Manor Road by over 60%.

Commenting on the announcement, local MP Rebecca Pow said:

“I am delighted with this announcement for the £7.2m and that my calls for the Spine Road have been heeded. Having met with many local groups to understand their concerns, I have raised this in Parliament in speeches, at Prime Ministers Questions, at Business questions with the Leader of the House of Commons and with Ministers. In addition, I brought the former Housing Minister, Alok Sharma to Staplegrove to meet with local residents and make the case for funding, and he was left in no uncertain terms about the need for this road. I am very pleased that the Government has listened and this is exactly the infrastructure that needs to be in place to make our housing viable.”