Last chance to Have your say about the future of Melksham

RESIDENTS of Melksham have until Tuesday 15th December at 5pm to have their say on how their local community should evolve over the next 20 years.

Melksham resident, Nick Westbrook said, “Wiltshire Council has a statutory duty to maintain an up-to-date plan for the new homes, jobs and infrastructure needed to support Wiltshire’s communities, while protecting the local environment and quality of life.

“Local plans set out a vision and framework for the future development of an area; meeting needs and realising opportunities in relation to housing, the economy, community facilities and infrastructure. They are also the means to protect the environment, adapt to climate change and secure good design.

“To update its current plan, Wiltshire Council is holding a public consultation to develop policies for their Local Plan for the extended period to 2036.

“Wiltshire Council’s review of its local plan to extend the delivery date to 2036, creates a great chance for local people to be engaged in the discussion and to influence future decision-making.  Silence now could result in problems for the future. Working together we can make Melksham an even better place to live, to work and to play.

“Though this is only the first stage in the plan development, this review raises some important issues for the Melksham Town and Melksham Without Parish Council areas.  It provides an important opportunity for local people to influence the Wiltshire Plan.

“For example, Melksham is the only West Wiltshire area to be included in the proposed new Chippenham Housing Market area (CHMA), which otherwise covers the former North Wiltshire and Kennet District Council areas.   This is not in line with the proposed Wiltshire CCG Chippenham – Melksham – Trowbridge for planning future health services; nor the Boundary Commission’s proposal to create a new Bradford – Melksham – Trowbridge parliamentary constituency.  Is this right – what do you think?

“The Melksham Profile (pages 32 -35) in the CHMA acknowledges that rates of housing and employment development have been slightly higher than those anticipated in the Wiltshire Core Strategy. In fact, the population of Melksham already exceeds Wiltshire’s projection for the year 2026, with planning permission granted for almost another 1,000 houses in the area.

“In addition, local land-owners/developers have suggested local sites with capacity for nearly 2,000 more houses that they want to develop in years to come.  This does not include the extra housing that Wiltshire Council wants to develop on the Melksham House site – and what about future redevelopment of the Canberra and Melksham Hospital sites if they cannot be retained for their current use?    The profile asks ‘how should these and other local town centre regeneration opportunities be realised in Melksham?’  This is your chance to tell them.

“We know that the government is committed to building new houses to meet increasing demand.  Wiltshire – and Melksham – will have to provide some of these houses.  But what about the infrastructure needed to support our rapidly-growing community?

“The Melksham Profile asks if the current development strategy for the town should be continued or should there be a different approach?”

This is a great time for local people to be asking questions and spelling out exactly what they want to be provided, says Nick.  For example:

• Does Wiltshire’s understanding of Melksham on pages 32 to 35 in the CHMA Profile accurately reflect your own experiences of living and/or working in the area?

• What is the timetable for housing and other developments between now and 2036?

• Do we need to allocate more land at Bowerhill and perhaps elsewhere locally for commercial purposes to create more local jobs?

• What new retail opportunities do we need to serve a growing town of 30,000-plus residents?

• How can primary care health services be improved to meet the needs of local patients?

• The upgrading of the A350 to the east of Melksham to relieve traffic congestion in line with Wiltshire Council’s recent presentation to both the Town and Parish Councils is welcome – but does this mean even more houses east of Melksham?

• Do we accept further expansion of the Melksham Oak Community School or do we need another secondary school elsewhere in the area?

• What community facilities, play areas, green spaces and environmental improvements do we want to maintain the quality of life in our Melksham communities?

• What contribution could the development of the Wilts and Berks Canal make to the town’s future?

“I know what I think about these important issues – how about you?” continued Nick. “Community engagement carried out over the past few years has identified the above issues as local priorities.

“Local people said they want to work closer to home.   They want better retail opportunities.  They want enhanced health, education and community facilities to support the work of professional and voluntary services.  They value local green spaces.  They want improved traffic management and public transport services, integrating bus and rail services.”

To read the CHMA Melksham Profile – go to www.wiltshire.gov.uk/plan ning-policy-sw-joint-spatial  -framework