TOWN councillors have criticised the latest plans to build 67 homes on greenfield land south of Sandhole Lane in Westbury Leigh, with councillors saying the development should mirror the natural beauty that the site is being built on.
Councillors have previously been very critical of the plans by developer, Wain Homes, which also received objections from local people.
The planning application was turned down by Wiltshire Council in 2021, but the plans were granted approval on appeal in February 2022, as a result of Wiltshire Council not having a five-year housing land supply.
In their outline plans, the developer does not have to include all aspects of the development, and the final parts of the plans were looked at by town councillors at an extraordinary meeting of the highways, planning, and development committee of the town council on Monday.
Unanimous objection
At the meeting, committee members unanimously objected to the plans and agreed that they did not show enough detail, as well as raising concerns over access to the site, drainage, the lack of cycle and pedestrian links to the town, and the minimal parking allocation.
Speaking at the meeting cllr Gordon King said, “This area attracts a lot of wildlife and it supports a large ecosystem; badgers, rabbits, deer, weasels, as well as a host of different insects and birds all live there. Above all, that area is beautiful and whatever gets built on top of it has to mirror or give some sort of credence to that beauty itself and for me, this estate does not do it justice.
Out of place
“The estate is set out in five separate lots that have little connectivity, which means everything has to move around its periphery. I think Wain Homes really missed a trick here and I object principally on its design.
“It doesn’t mirror what is around it at all, which is a great shame, and the house designs Wain Homes have presented are not that attractive; they’re vernacular and boxy and largely red brick, which makes it look out of place.
“The parking provision they have allocated for it are the absolute minimum. Although there is some visitor parking, it is not extensive, and this will be a problem in the future. I can see the whole area becoming a big car park.
Abhorrent design
“This is not a good use of the land and it is an abhorrent design. My advice to the developer is to go away and come up with something better.”
Cllr Mike Naxton added, “The developer said they have got rid of all the five-bed houses, but that is not really the case; one of the house designs is basically a five-bed, as the room is marked as a work/study room despite being listed as four.”
Cllr Philip Harcourt added that this move may have been intentional as it could impact on the developers’ financial contributions to the town.
Councillors also pointed out that there is no site construction management plan which they say is essential before any construction works start, due to the strong feelings of local residents.
To view the plans in detail search PL/2022/09817 on the planning section of Wiltshire Council’s website.
