WESTBURY Town Council has a number of concerns over Wiltshire Council’s latest draft Local Plan for the area and is requesting that it has a “greater level of collaboration going forward” with regards to the plan.
The Local Plan sets out the vision and framework for housing, infrastructure and land for employment growth for the next 15 years. Once adopted, all planning applications will be determined against the plan, making it the most important place-shaping document for Wiltshire.
Wiltshire Council’s Local Plan proposals for Westbury could see further houses built on land at Bratton Road and land west of Mane Way, with a railway bridge extending Mane Way across the railway line, and a focus on the town centre, improving transport links to the centre of town and the railway station, addressing traffic issues and improving air quality in the town.
However, the town council says that while it “broadly supports” the aims, site allocations and policies proposed as part of the plan, it has concerns that the Local Plan was prepared before a transport plan for the area was first developed.
In a written response to the consultation on the draft Local Plan, Westbury Town Council’s (WTC) highways, planning and development committee says, “WTC is extremely concerned that the draft Local Plan has been prepared without a transport plan for the region having first been prepared. The absence of any input on highways means that many of the plan proposals are rendered irrelevant and lacking in context.
“Having recently completed its Neighbourhood Planning process, WTC is disappointed that more collaboration was not forthcoming from Wiltshire Council in the site selection process. WTC seeks a greater level of collaboration going forward.
“The site allocations and policies do not take account of consented land for development and land lying just outside and adjacent to the boundary of WTC at Glenmore Farm, which will have a significant impact on the town of Westbury.
“The plan does not address the settlement boundary which we believe should be amended to accord with reality and bring in those consented or developed sites currently outside the boundary.
“Insufficient detail is given to access across the railway line to the north of Mane Way and site five in the allocations should be expanded to include site four. The plan needs to be amended to reflect the latest position regarding allocations in the Westbury Neighbourhood Plan.”
The draft Local Plan can be viewed by visiting www.wiltshire.gov.uk/local-plan
