A key junction in Watchet town centre could be upgraded as part of a strategy to revitalise the town’s economy.
Watchet’s economy – which is heavily reliant on tourism – has taken a significant hit since the B3191 Cleeve Hill was closed indefinitely to motorised vehicles in January 2023, due to concerns about coastal erosion.
The road – which connects the town to the village of Blue Anchor – served as a key commuting route for locals and provided a valuable diversionary route for holidaymakers whenever the A39 between Minehead and Williton was congested.
Following the closure, the Watchet Task Force was set up to provide short-term relief for affected businesses and create a long-term strategy for redesigning the town centre to reduce the negative impact of the road closure.
The finished strategy (known officially as the Watchet urban design strategy) was published shortly before Christmas 2024, and identifies several big changes which could be implemented on the local road network to boost businesses and help residents.
Artist’s impression of Harbour Road improvements in Watchet (Photo: Feria Urbanism – 100125) (Artist’s impression of Harbour Road improvements in Watchet (Photo: Feria Urbanism – 100125))
The task force which commissioned the report includes representatives from Somerset Council, Watchet Town Council, the Watchet Chamber of Trade, the town’s visitor centre, the Onion Collective (which runs the East Quay site near the town’s harbour and marina), Visit Somerset and the Exmoor National Park.
The strategy, completed by Bournemouth-based consultancy firm, Feria Urbanism, has been nearly a year in the making, with Watchet residents being given the opportunity to express their views in public consultation exercise held in June, during the general election campaign.
The strategy identifies five areas in the town centre where upgrades could be delivered to Watchet’s road network, easing the flow of traffic as well as making the town more attractive for pedestrians, cyclists and those of more limited mobility.
Artist’s impression of Market Street car park improvements in Watchet (Photo: Feria Urbanism) (Artist’s impression of Market Street car park improvements in Watchet (Photo: Feria Urbanism))
The five areas identified are as follows:
- The junction of the B3191 Swain Street and Harbour Road: this junction serves as a main route for many amenities within the town centre, including Watchet Surgery, the Watchet Boat Museum and the town’s heritage railway station. Replacing the current T-junction with a mini-roundabout will result in “slower and more cautious vehicle movements”, making the area safer for pedestrians. An informal pedestrian crossing and new public seating will also be provided in the area
- Harbour Road: Harbour Road links the B3191 to the town’s Marina (including the East Quay site), as well as providing a significant element of the town’s car parking. The strategy will see the existing road narrowed using coloured paving to “provide more generous space for pedestrians” (though the number of parking spaces will remain the same). New trees and wild-flowers will be planted near the railway line and car park, improving the appearance of the street as a whole and the setting of the Methodist Church in particular
- Swain Street car park: this car park lies behind the town’s Co-operative store, with access being available from both Swain Street and Harbour Road. To improve the appearance of the car park, new murals will be instituted to create “an inviting and natural route” to the local shops. New planting and seating will be put in place, though this may lead to an as-yet-unspecified number of parking spaces being removed
- Swain Street (between Harbour Road and Market Street): this section of Swain Street includes numerous key businesses within the town and provides a crucial link to the residential areas at Watchet’s western edge. This section will be resurfaced with bright colours to “make the street more inviting and flexible”, allowing businesses to have outdoor tables and “creating a more secure environment” by slowing vehicle speeds. Some of the existing kerbs will be removed, allowing enough space for larger vehicles to still move through and make deliveries
- Market Street car park: this car park lies west of the marina within walking distance of several of Watchet’s main pubs and hotels. To make this “a “vibrantplace that can be playful and green” and host community events, the existing toilet block will either be reopened or re-purposed for other uses, with the outside being repainted with new murals. New trees, other planting and seating will also be put in place, with a yet-to-be-determined number of spaces being sacrificed for this goal
Artist’s impression of new mini-roundabout at the junction of the B3191 Swain Street and Harbour Road in Watchet – (Photo: Feria Urbanism) (Artist’s impression of new mini-roundabout at the junction of the B3191 Swain Street and Harbour Road in Watchet – (Photo: Feria Urbanism))
The Watchet Task Force’s members will use the strategy and these projects within it as the basis for funding bids, with further consultation being planned as these initiatives slowly but surely come to fruition.
A spokesman for Feria Urbanism said: “We will identify low cost projects suitable as community-led initiatives to begin the process of change.
“These could include pop-up, temporary and meanwhile uses to trial new ideas.
“Through the ongoing conversations and the identification of communitychampions, these actions should be pursued.
“The type of projects described in this report are suitable for experimentation and prototyping before moving to more costly permanent interventions and will help raise Watchet’s profile as a place that is creative and action-orientated.”
Tiverton and Minehead MP Rachel Gilmour (one of several Liberal Democrat MPs elected at the 2024 general election) has been pushing the Department for Transport (DfT) to provide funding to move the B3191 inland and reopen the road, arguing it will boost social mobility across the former West Somerset area.
Cleeve Hill reopened to pedestrians and cyclists shortly before Easter 2024, with barriers being put in place to restrict motor vehicles from moving either west of the Saxon Ridge estate or east of Virginia Lodge.
Somerset Council confirmed at the time that it could not viably reopen the road to cars, motorcycles and lorries with a “major intervention”.
Parliamentary under-secretary for transport Lilian Greenwood MP responded to Mrs Gilmour’s written question on December 5, 2024, stating the future of the road lay entirely within the council’s hands.
She said: “At the budget on October 30, the chancellor announced £1.6bn of capital funding for English local highway authorities for highway maintenance for the 2025/26 financial year, an increase of £500m or nearly 50 per cent compared to the current financial year.
“It is entirely a matter for Somerset Council how it spends this highway maintenance funding based on local needs, priorities, and circumstances.”