Market Place burger van plans are rejected

AN application for a burger van to be situated in the Market Place has been refused by Wiltshire Council. 

The local authority has said that the application has been turned down because of concerns raised by the town council and local residents about the lack of parking around the Market Place; and because the proposed location – in a conservation area, in front of a listed building – was “not appropriate”.

The news has been welcomed by local councillors and residents who objected to the street trading licence application, which proposed a 12ft catering trailer to be located in the Market Place trading seven days a week, between the hours of 12pm to 11pm.

Leader of Melksham Town Council, cllr Vanessa Fiorelli, told Melksham News, “Thank goodness that common sense has prevailed and that Wiltshire Council has listened to the people of Melksham.”

And chair of the town council’s economic development and planning committee, cllr Adrienne Westbrook, welcomed the decision at a recent meeting as “very, very good news”.

Wiltshire councillor, Phil Alford, who also raised concerns, added, “I am really pleased about this decision, the team at Wiltshire Council have got this right. I was initially quite concerned since the town had not advertised the consultation widely, but towards the end of it, some of us were able to step in and make the case against this location.

“No-one objects to the van in itself and everyone has a right to make a living, but to park in front of the Christmas tree and listed buildings in the Market Place would be really inconsiderate. We are a welcoming town and I am sure that had the applicant wanted to be in a less sensitive location they would have had our support, but this was the wrong place and at the wrong time. Our Market Place is a key part of our town’s heritage and culture and it needs to be protected. That the officers agree and are keen to support our wishes in this way shows the positive relationship we have with them and the importance of us all working together.”

Wiltshire Council’s cabinet member for highways, cllr Bridget Wayman, told Melksham News, “The authorised council officer has reviewed all the feedback and representation received, the decision has been made to refuse the application.

“This decision was made as a number of concerns were raised by the town council and local residents in relation to the lack of parking around the Market Place. The introduction of a food seller would encourage more illegal parking within the Market Place, affecting site safety and potentially causing a hazard on the road. Our parking services team already experience issues with illegal parking outside of the takeaways in Melksham and we did not want to encourage further issues.

“The Market Place has recently undergone significant investment to make it the town’s focal point, it sits within a conservation area and the proposed site was directly in front of a listed building. It was therefore felt the location was not appropriate to site a mobile catering unit. The applicant does have the right to appeal should they wish to.”