Plans to build 145 homes at Glenmore Farm, near The Ham, have been granted planning permission following a successful appeal by the developer, despite eight years of strong local opposition.
Wiltshire Council had initially approved the plans for the site in 2023 but performed a U-turn last year as, at the time, the council could demonstrate there was enough land available for new homes across the county in line with government targets. However, during the developer’s appeal, changes announced by the government now require councils to maintain a five-year housing land supply to meet housing targets, and Wiltshire Council has a significant shortfall, prompting it to withdraw its defence of the appeal.
The Planning Inspectorate cited Wiltshire Council’s inability to demonstrate a five-year housing land supply, with a shortfall of 2.03 years, as a key factor in the decision. This shortfall rendered the council’s development plan policies, including those restricting development outside settlement boundaries, out of date and of limited weight.
The proposed development, near The Ham, has faced significant local opposition over the past eight years. Over the years, the plans have drawn criticism from local residents, Westbury Town Council, Heywood Parish Council, and a resident-led protest group. Opponents have raised concerns about the lack of access to local services and overreliance on private vehicles, citing long walking distances to amenities such as schools, supermarkets, and health centres. They have also criticised the scheme’s location outside Westbury’s settlement boundary and its potential impact on nearby residents.
Following the approval of the plans, Cllr John Masson chairman of Heywood Parish Council, said, “Heywood Parish Council is very disappointed that the Planning Inspector allowed the appeal. The site is not in a recognised settlement and in policy terms forms part of the open countryside.” He also argued that the development would be poorly served by local services, stating, “The proposed development would be poorly served by local services, facilities, and amenities, and there will be a high degree of reliance on the use of private vehicles.” Cllr Masson highlighted the site’s distance from key locations, including a 30-minute walk to the nearest supermarket and a 40-minute walk to the health centre, adding, “On a cold winter’s day in January when it is 6°C and pouring with rain, nobody is going to walk into Westbury or wait for a bus and then carry bags of shopping home.”
He also raised concerns over road safety, saying, “The Parish Council has grave concerns regarding road safety and the position of the proposed entrance to the development.” He warned of the risks from traffic coming from multiple directions, particularly during peak periods, saying, “Cars emerging from the development will have to be aware of traffic coming from three directions—the Trowbridge direction with its restricted view, The Ham, and any vehicles emerging from Hawkeridge Road.”
David Jenkins, a resident of The Ham and Heywood parish councillor, expressed disappointment that the Planning Inspector did not consider noise as a key issue in the decision, stating, “It’s unfortunate, in my view, that the inspector didn’t concern herself with the main reason why this application should have been refused, i.e. noise, especially considering that last August, an application for 200 dwellings on the adjacent field to the West Wilts Trading Estate was refused because of noise primarily from the trading estate.” He also criticised Wiltshire Council for removing its original objection to the plans due to noise, after the developer negotiated a document that claimed the noise could be controlled through acoustic design. Cllr David Pafford raised further concerns, noting that the sound surveys conducted in 2021 were outdated, and new developments near the trading estate may have increased noise levels. “The noise levels recorded in these surveys were higher than those associated with the application that was refused the previous year,” he said. Additionally, he highlighted that the sound recording meters used in the surveys were found to be out of calibration, casting doubt on the reliability of the noise assessment.
