More than 70 affordable homes could be built at Paulton’s former printworks. 

The masterplan for the old Polestar Purnell factory allocated land for a care home but despite marketing efforts it has “simply not materialised”.  Equans and housing association LiveWest have teamed up to propose a fully affordable scheme of 73 homes on the 1.7-hectare site. 

Their application says: “The intention is to deliver the scheme as 100 per cent affordable housing with mixed tenures to meet the affordable housing need of the local area. The Polestar Purnell factory closed in 2005 and outline planning for regeneration was granted in 2010, with much of the consented development now delivered. 

“The application site was originally allocated for a ‘continuing care community’ use, but despite extensive marketing over the past 12 years, care specialists have confirmed that no demand exists for this use. 

“Earlier developments of new homes on adjacent land have been dominated by homes for private sale. This application seeks to respond to a previously unmet need in the village and wider area around Paulton for affordable homes.”

According to the applicants there are 127 households on the waiting list for housing in Paulton but only three two-bed affordable homes became available during 2020/21, and each received nearly 200 bids.  Live-West plans to invest more than £2billion in the South West and deliver 15,000 new homes over the next ten years. B&NES Council will consider the application. Stephen Sumner, LDRS