DESPITE strong objection from local residents, Sandridge Common will be home to a new housing estate after a developer was granted planning permission earlier this month.
Cheltenham-based housebuilder Robert Hitchins has been granted planning permission to build 100 houses on the approximately eight-acre site to the north of Sandridge Common. The application was met with objections by local residents who expressed concerns with traffic, the loss of countryside and flooding.
There were also concerns about the proposed footpath leading from the new estate to Lansdown Close. One local man wrote, “This a cul-de-sac within which live a lot of elderly people, in both this close and in Bream Close which is also affected by this new proposed development. This will encroach on our enjoyed peace and quiet and privacy, and we are worried about the number of people who will use the path. This gives us concern for our safety and security, as we are at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac.
“We have lived here for over 40 years now and it has always been a friendly and happy place to be. We are worried that all this will change if the proposed development goes ahead.”
All new houses will contribute to Wiltshire Council’s target to build over 1,000 new homes in Melksham between 2014 and 2026. The build will be next to the newly-built Thyme Road area to the east of the town. A recent decision by Wiltshire Council saw Melksham Town Council take authority over the area, previously part of Melksham Without.
To view the plans enter 15/12454/OUT online at www.wiltshire.gov.uk
