PLANS for the final 90 homes of a huge housing development on the outskirts of Taunton have been given the green light.

Somerset Council planners have approved the final phase of Persimmon Homes South West’s 320-home Hartnells Farm scheme, at the northern edge of the Monkton Heathfield urban extension.

Persimmon and sister company, Charles Church, will now start the development.

The developer said all homes will feature an electric-vehicle charging point, while 22, powered by solar panels, will be allocated as social housing, including three accessible bungalows.

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They said the scheme was built on an “environmentally-friendly vision”, with a buffer of retained and new trees lining the north and eastern boundaries, with an existing large oak tree also retained.

Meanwhile, tree-lined streets and attenuation ponds will line the spine road, supporting natural flood runoff alongside basins in the south, Persimmon said, while each home will also be accompanied by bird and bat boxes.

The 90 new homes mark the final phase of Persimmon’s presence at Hartnells Farm.

Persimmon Homes South West managing director, Dan Heathcote, said: “Persimmon is very proud of the work we have done so far at Hartnells Farm and we are delighted to have finally secured permission to complete our vision for the new community we have helped build there.

“This latest planning permission means we are now one step closer to bringing more new, high-quality homes to the area, opening up the dream of home-ownership to even more local people, addressing housing need in the Taunton area.

“I’d like to thank the officers at Somerset Council for working pro-actively with us at Persimmon and look forward to carrying on that constructive relationship going forward.”