Boost in fight against Dilton Marsh deer field development

DILTON Marsh Parish Council have objected strongly to plans that would see 100 houses built south of Clivey, following a public meeting with the developers and residents.

The area is known locally as the deer field and is also home to bats, owls and other wildlife. At the meeting of the parish council on Thursday 16th March, councillors and the public expressed their opposition to the plans and questioned the developers about the lack of a public consultation.

Cllr Alison Irving, chair of the parish council said, “It was relayed to the agents that a great amount of disappointment and anger was felt at the refusal from the developer to hold a public consultation, in spite of being requested to do so several times. An online exercise was not considered adequate.

Objections

“At the meeting, the decision was to object to the application. Objections will be based on traffic, amenity, environment, distance from facilities, the number of houses, over-development in a village setting and the site is outside the village development boundary.”

Wiltshire councillor for Ethendune, Suzanne Wickham, has said that she will ask for the plans to be considered and debated by the strategic planning committee of Wiltshire Council, rather than a planning officer.

Local views should be heard

“I’ve called this in, so it can be considered, due to the sheer scale of the plans for a village like this,” she said. “There are all sorts of issues with this plan, which hopefully will be discussed by the committee and the views of the local people can be well and truly heard.”

The developer, Rosconn Strategic Land, say that 30% of the proposed housing will be affordable and that they will also create a community orchard as part of the plans.

On the consultation website, the developer says, “We believe that the site at Clivey represents the right location to meet Dilton Marsh’s immediate housing needs, relating well to the existing form of the village, so as not to extend it, while providing a suitable area to achieve the required number of homes alongside substantial areas of public amenity space of a range of types.”

So far, over 200 comments have been made in opposition to the plans. You can comment on the plans by searching PL/2023/01048 on Wiltshire Council’s Planning Portal. The deadline for comments is Wednesday 12th April.

The campaign group opposed to the development, Save Our Green Fields, is seeking donations to help pay for the planning consultant that they have hired to help fight the application – if you want to donate visit: https://bit.ly/3FIPTdB

Plans submitted for 62 houses north of the High Street

Plans have also finally been submitted by developers, Dilton Marsh LVA LLP, that would see 62 houses built on a green space north of the High Street and residents can comment on these plans now by searching PL/2023/01880 on Wiltshire Council’s planning portal.

For more information about the campaign to stop this development, visit  https://sthfh.com/home

To stay up to date with the campaign group opposed to the development of the deer fields, search Save Our Green Fields on Facebook.