Issue 447 – Leigh Park affordable housing application given town council blessing

A REVISED planning application to build 25 residential properties off of Brabant Way in Leigh Park has received the town council’s blessing.

The applicants, SPB Homes, had originally put in for permission to build 28 residences on the site, but after responding to residents’ concerns have revised their plans to build 25 affordable homes instead, as well as altering several other details to the scheme.
At a meeting of the town council’s Highways, Planning and Development Committee on Monday 19th October, the town council voted to support the new application, which will go before Wiltshire Council on Wednesday 28th October. The town council are sending Cllr Windess to that meeting to speak in support of the development.
Town Councillor Mike Cuthbert Murray supported the revised plans. He said, “SPB have modified their plans to alleviate residents concerns. For example they are going to turn a copse of trees over to Wiltshire Council, and leave a ditch that was going to be filled in. They’ve bent over backwards to act on concerns and been really on the ball. It was good to see it go through.”
If the plans are approved by the Western Area Planning Committee, the development will include eight two-bedroom flats, two two-bedroom bungalows, 10 two-bedroom houses, three three-bedroom houses and two four-bedroom houses.
Cllr Russell Hawker added, “There is a community need for more affordable housing in Leigh Park and we welcomed this application, although not unanimously. These are particularly well designed homes and are highly suitable. We will support the application at the Western Area Planning Committee.”