RESIDENTS are celebrating as Wiltshire Council refused, for the second time, an application to build houses on the land off Storridge Road.
Housing developers, Gladman, have now tried on two separate occasions, 2017 and 2019, to pass through an application to demolish number 13 and 14 Storridge Road as an entrance route to a development of up to 200 houses.
An action group of residents, with the support of Wiltshire councillors and parish councillors, have successfully campaigned to see the area remain, as described by the residents, an area of wildlife and archeological interest.
However, the group say they will remain vigilant in case the housing developers lodge an appeal.
Wiltshire Council refused the application on the grounds of; the proposal conflicts with the council’s plan-led approach to the delivery of new housing, the site is located in open countryside outside the limits of development defined for Westbury, insufficient information has been submitted in order to robustly assess whether up to 190 dwellings can be satisfactorily accommodated on the site, and the site includes within its boundaries potential heritage assets with archaeological interest, including Romano-British pottery and the remains of several buildings which may be possible remnants of prisoner-or-war camps and more.
Local resident, Jim Marley said, “With the continued objections from residents, Heywood Parish Council and Westbury Town Council, there wasn’t any support for such a development at the location which sits outside of the Westbury development boundaries as defined in the Wiltshire Core Strategy, which is one of the key reasons for refusal.
“Whilst the developer can appeal the application, there is still the matter of the legal restriction known as a Section 52 agreement which covers a large portion of the land, and it obviates the possibility of future development on the site, as detailed in the letters issued to the residents by West Wilts District Council in 1989, when the old Tesco warehouse (now Welton, Bibby and Baron) was extended into the field.
“The law and the policy is there to protect, and to utilise a development strategy that is sustainable, the location of this development does not provide sustainability and would only add additional pressure to our doctors, schools and transport networks, which we are currently seeing no investment or improvement to, following other housing developments in the town.
“Finally, I’m really pleased to see the community of the Heywood parish come together and raise their concerns over the proposed Gladman Development. I am proud to live in such a great community and thankful to every single one of them, as I am of Wiltshire Council for making the correct and compliant decision and for listening to us all.”
To view the full list of grounds for refusal use the reference 19/06389/OUT on the Wiltshire Council planning portal website.
Wiltshire councillor, Carole King, who originally called-in the application for more scrutiny said, “This outline planning application for development of a ‘windfall’ site, was turned down by Wiltshire Council for eight substantive reasons, mainly due to their application conflicting with Wiltshire’s Core Strategy.
“Huge credit goes to the residents, led by Jim Marley and Janet Parker, in supplying the evidence and sound planning reasons why this application was not suitable for the site. I would urge the residents to continue to keep a record of the wildlife, drainage issues, and noise problems as the developer might decide to appeal or come back with a revised application.
“Should the applicant decide to pursue further studies concerning drainage, environmental health, and archaeology, or resolve the Section 106 and Section 52 agreements, then we could well have to deal with a third application for this site.”
