A 'VISION FOR THE FUTURE'
Each week, your County Gazette receives letters bemoaning the fact 'yet another artist impression' has featured in the news.
Taunton is currently going through a huge period of development, so planning applications are being submitted all the time, often containing at least one indication of how the plan could look.
But have the developments progressed?
Is the work taking place?
And do they look anything like the impressions?
Here, we have gone back through just some of the artist impressions we have published in recent years, before visiting the sites themselves to see what, if anything, has become of those plans...
Viridor HOUSE
Priory Bridge Road
When permission was granted for the development of a new headquarters for waste management firm Viridor, it was hailed as the first step in the development of the Firepool site.
The planning application, approved in March 2011, featured an artist impression of what the new building would look like.
The building, Viridor House, was officially opened in November 2012.
So how does the image compare to what was built?
Impression released: January 2011
Revisited: June 2018
Original drawing: 2011
Revisited: June 2018
The Viridor building stayed largely true to the original artist impression, with only subtle differences.
Several of the additional buildings included in the original drawing have not been built and some of the landscaping differs.
READ MORE: Viridor signs up to Firepool development
Coal Orchard
This town centre location has been the subject of several planning applications.
The most recent submission, from June 2018, includes several unusual designs, which aim to compliment a refurbished Brewhouse Theatre and would see the current car park and the former St James Swimming Pool demolished.
Developers have mooted the area as becoming a 'cultural quarter' for Taunton, though some have been critical of the plans.
Impression released: 2018
Visited: June 2018
READ MORE: Coal Orchard redevelopment could start in early 2019
Original drawing: 2018
Visited: June 2018
Former Lidl site
Tangier Way
A planning application for 72 retirement apartments has been submitted for the former Lidl supermarket site, on the riverside in Taunton town centre.
Applicant, Boyer, submitted an artist impression as part of the application.
A decision over the scheme is expected in early July.
Impression released: December 2017
Visited: June 2018
READ MORE: Plan for retirement apartments submitted for former Lidl site
Original drawing: December 2017
Visited: June 2018
FORMER Gasworks site
Tangier Way
A plan has been submitted to build 164 apartments and 18 townhouses on the former gasworks site, off Tangier Way and Castle Street in Taunton.
Developer Boyer says the scheme has been designed to make a 'positive, sustainable contribution to Taunton to enhance the social and economic wellbeing of the town'.
However, there is no affordable housing planned in the development.
Impression released: May 2018
Visited: June 2018
READ MORE: Plan for more than 150 apartments at eyesore Taunton site unveiled
Original drawing: May 2018
Visited: June 2018
Lock House
Firepool LOCK
Developer McCarthy and Stone revealed plans for the first phase of a development at Firepool Lock in January 2016, which consisted of 45 retirement and 10 open-market apartments.
The building, Lock House, was officially opened by Taunton mayor Hazel Prior-Sankey in October 2017.
It is the first part of a major development by the firm, which could see two more projects built in the coming years.
Impression released: January 2016
Visited: June 2018
READ MORE: Taunton mayor officially opens Lock House development
Original drawing: January 2016
Visited: June 2018
The building stayed entirely true to the original design.
It is not easy to give a direct comparison, from the same angles, as the train line runs directly opposite the building - across the NIDR.
However, a view of the river-side aspect, below, gives a more precise indication of how the actual building compares to the original drawing...
