Somerset Council Highways is working with Wessex Water and Wales and West Utilities to co-ordinate 2 vital infrastructure schemes in Chard during 2025.
Wessex Water is investing more than £1.3 million to help alleviate sewer flooding in the town, while Wales and West is delivering a £415,000 upgrade to a gas main, switching from the ageing metal pipes to long-lasting pipes, with the work being carried out between January and approximately September 2025.
The collaborative approach ensures both schemes can take place within the road closures which will need to be in place for the safety of the public and workforce. The A358 Furnham Road is the most significant of these.
A public drop-in session about this programme of work will be held at Chard Guildhall between 9am and 6pm on Wednesday, 20 November, with representatives from Somerset Council, Wessex Water and Wales & West Utilities on hand to explain more about the work and answer your questions.
Residents and businesses in the immediate area have been written to and visited by both Wessex Water and Wales and West Utilities in advance of the drop-in.
Councillor Richard Wilkins, Somerset Council’s Lead Member for Transport and Waste Services said:
These are 2 vital schemes for Chard – we’re really pleased to see the sewer improvement being delivered – it’s great news for residents who have suffered from sewer flooding in the immediate area.
The gas main improvement is taking place across Somerset. Sharing road space and getting both important schemes done at the same time during 2025 will minimise disruption for road users and residents, but we are fully aware there will be an impact for those in the immediate area and the travelling public which is why we are working collaboratively to reduce this as much as possible.
Some advanced works by Wales and West Utilities will require a closure on the T-junction of Furzehill between 18 November and 20 December.
The main schemes starting in January will require a closure of the A358 Furnham Road for several months and work will be done on Glynswood and Victoria Avenue.
Impacts from the phased plan of works are detailed as follows:
- There will be phased closures between early January 2025 and September 2025 to allow both operators to deliver their schemes. These include a closure of the A358 from February 2025 to the end of May 2025.
- A shorter closure of Victoria Avenue is required from early January to mid-February and a significant partial closure of Glynswood is required between May and September. Diversions will be in place.
- The junction of A358 Furnham Road and Glynswood will be closed from late May to late June.
- There will also be some parking restrictions on Victoria Avenue as this will form part of the diversion route.
- July onwards A358 Furnham Road reopens, but work will still be underway in Glynswood.
Wessex Water project manager, Mike Horton, said:
Historically, this area of Chard has suffered issues with sewer flooding during heavy rain which is why we’re proposing this significant investment towards addressing the capacity of the network.
We recognise that work like this is disruptive and are working closely with Somerset Council and Wales & West to ensure these projects are completed in a way that can reduce longer-term inconvenience for local customers.
Wales & West Utilities Programme Controller, Roxanne Whittaker, said:
We know that working in areas like this is not ideal which is why we’re working in collaboration with Somerset Council and Wessex Water to minimise disruption to the local community.
Our team of engineers will be working as safely and as quickly as possible to complete this essential upgrade work to make sure the network is fit for the future.
You can download a map with information about the work and road closures here.
There’s a comprehensive Q&A sheet compiled by Wessex Water here.
For any Wales & West Utilities queries, contact their Customer Service Team on 0800 912 2999 or email enquiries@wwutilities.co.uk.
For any Wessex Water queries, use their online Contact us form.
