FURTHER details of a £45M project to replace defective homes in north Taunton have been made public.

Taunton Deane Borough Council intends to demolish and replace more than 100 Woolaway homes in the county town, as well as refurbishing a number of other properties.

Following 12 months of consultation with residents, the council has now revealed how many new homes will be built in place of the Woolaway homes and how the project will be staggered.

The council’s proposals are expected to be signed off in February, with work being able to proceed over a 10-year period once planning permission has been granted.

Woolaway properties resemble other homes in appearance but are constructed from concrete frames and panels, rather than more traditional materials.

The government designated such homes as defective under the Housing Defects Act 1984, after research found that the homes could “suffer deterioration”.

The homes remain safe to live in, but since the 1984 Act no further homes of this construction can be built.

An update on the proposed regeneration came before the council’s tenant services management board in Taunton on Monday evening (January 21).

There are currently 212 Woolaway homes in the north Taunton area, of which 167 are currently owned by the council.

Under the planned regeneration, the council will demolish 140 of the homes which it owns, with the remaining 27 being refurbished.

Once the 140 homes are demolished, 226 new dwellings will be built in their place – adding 86 homes to the council’s housing stock and easing demand for social housing in the town.

The programme will be staggered in five phases (Phases A to E) over a ten-year period, to prevent all existing residents from being simultaneously displaced.

The proposed properties range from one-bedroom bungalows to five-bedroom houses – but the majority will be either three- or four-bedroom houses.

Phase A will deliver 39 homes and a community facility – which could be replaced by two two-bedroom flats if it is no longer required by the time the scheme concludes.

Jo Humble, the council’s housing enabling and development manager, said in her written report that people living in the current homes would continue to pay the same level of rent in the new properties.

She confirmed: “The intention is for the current residents whose homes are subject to demolition to be given the opportunity to return to a new property at a social rent level.

“The range of property sizes will help to address existing overcrowding and under-occupation, which have been identified through the community.

“Residents will be supported to downsize through the design of the proposed scheme, but retain the right to return to the equivalent size property within the new scheme.

“Residents within the refurbished area will return to their newly refurbished home unless there are extenuating circumstances.”

The whole scheme is expected to cost around £45M – of which £32.5M will come from external borrowing.

Of the reminder, nearly £9M will come from the council’s existing reserves and almost £3.5M will be raised from the right-to-buy scheme (which allows council tenants to buy their properties).

Phase A is expected to cost £7.2M – though this does include contingency funding which could be rolled over to the following phases if it is not required.

Ms Humble added: “Phase A is predominately social rented properties, providing new homes to existing residents within the regeneration area, and includes the community centre.

“Both these factors result in Phase A requiring more subsidy than future phases, which may include a broader range of tenure and income generation.

“Subject to planning approval, a tender process would then begin to select the range of professionals, including a build contractor to progress the scheme development, with an anticipation to start physical works during our financial year 2020/21.”

Once planning permission is in place and the contractors have been appointed, the council will serve demolition notices on the properties which will be bulldozed, allowing residents to be relocated while the site is cleared.

As a last resort, the council can also use compulsory purchase orders under the Housing Act 1985 to acquire the necessary properties.

Since the work will be carried out under the new Somerset West and Taunton Council, the proposals will come before the shadow full council for final approval on February 21.