Councillors object to houses near planned community hall

AN application for 11 houses to be built on land off Angelica Avenue has been unanimously objected to by town councillors.

The outline plans propose 11 houses, three of which would be affordable homes, to be built with an associated access road.

However, town councillors objected to these plans at the economic, development and planning meeting on Monday 6th March, on the basis that the houses would encroach on outside space reserved for a potential community centre for Melksham East, and cause overdevelopment in the area.

Speaking at the meeting, Wiltshire councillor Mike Sankey said, “This is adjacent to the site of the new East of Melksham community hall. The site in question is part of the land designated for the village hall and would have been outside space.”

Raising concern and asking for cllr Mike Sankey to ‘call in’ the application, and return it to Wiltshire Council’s planning committee for review, Melksham’s mayor, cllr Simon Crundell said, “To have extra dwellings here takes any green space away from the community centre. Personally, I do agree with cllr Sankey. This is right on the border of Melksham and Melksham Without. There are two arguments, one of over-development and one of coalescence. I think we request that cllr Sankey calls this in.”

The application will now be returned to Wiltshire Council, with a request from cllr Mike Sankey that the Wiltshire Council planning committee review this, with consideration of the town council’s comments.

Pictured: cllr Mike Sankey