Canal project’s plan for up to 900 houses throws up concerns

The proposal for up to 900 houses is an increase on the number proposed in the previous canal masterplan created around four years ago, which earmarked the Berryfield area for around 700 houses. The Wilts & Berks Canal Trust explained at the meeting that the increase is due to rising building costs, but stressed that the number of houses needed to build the canal link has not been finalised.

The trust explained that the housing plan will be the ‘main funding route’ to cover the estimated £21million needed to build the Melksham Link of the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust – a new stretch of canal connecting the Kennet and Avon Canal in Semington and the River Avon at the Farmers Roundabout.

In addition to the canal, the houses could also fund a new school, GP surgery, pub and hotel, a wetlands nature reserve and visitor centre, a small marina, and a children’s play area.

The Wilts & Berks Canal Trust recently held a drop-in information day for villagers to find out more about the project and to hear what community benefits they would like included as part of the masterplan.

Masterplan facilitator for the trust, Ian Britton, told Melksham News, “I think the important takeaways from our drop-in day were confirmation that the canal route through Berryfield is the preferred choice, and that although nobody ever wants new development next to them, the residents of Berryfield seem to be very pragmatic in their thoughts on the masterplan idea.

“They generally felt that it was inevitable to see new houses around them at some point in the future, so that being the case, they would obviously prefer to use profits from the promotion of the housing to gain as much community benefit as possible.

“When asked what they considered to be needed the most in the area, the popular elements to add to the masterplan were; doctors’ surgery, school, children’s play area, pub, recreation ground, convenience store, dentist, care home, camping/glamping site and hotel. “They also liked the idea of overlooking green spaces, canal or marina (rather than new housing), being able to continue going for walks in local green spaces in addition to the new canal walk, and visiting the wetland reserve. There was also a preference for the position of the new elements. In or close to Berryfield they wanted to see children’s play area and doctors’ surgery, and in the new development a school, recreation ground, pub, shop and care home.” The drop-in day was visited by 45 households, with 24 people. completing a feedback form.

But at the recent Melksham Without Parish Council meeting, the one Berryfield resident in attendance questioned how the small sample of villagers could be seen as a true representation of how the village as a whole feels about the project.
“I don’t see how they can represent the majority,” said the Berryfield resident, before going on to urge the trust that there should be more consultation and a

referendum about the project. “It’s a massive increase in the population, in what is supposed to be a small village,” the resident added.

The Wilts & Berks Canal Trust also presented the results of their recent consultation at the Melksham Area Board meeting last week. They faced further questions from cllr Jon Hubbard, who said he did not understand how the trust could afford to deliver everything on the village’s ‘shopping list’.

“I’m a fan of the canal and I want to see it happen,” said cllr Hubbard. “But I am concerned and I think someone needs to inject some reality into this, because you are talking about potentially going up to 900 houses to fund all of this – funding a shopping list of things like a GP surgery, shop, pub and the rest of this, and then a canal on top of this.”

However, masterplan facilitator for the trust, Ian Britton, explained that the profit made from the trust selling the land with planning permission, including Section 106 monies – financial contributions made by developers towards the cost of supporting infrastructure – will help pay for the project.

“We will use the profits from sale of land to help pay for community benefits,” he said. “It does stack up.”

The trust’s representative also reassured councillors that the project was not about making a profit, and that they would only apply for planning permission for the number of houses needed to pay for the project.

Planning permission for the current proposed route of the canal, originally submitted in 2012, has yet to be approved by Wiltshire Council because of ongoing objections from the Environment Agency. But according to the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust, an agreement between Wiltshire Council and the Environment Agency is expected in the near future.

“We feel we are very nearly there, and close to getting planning consent for this particular scheme,” said project manager Paul Lenaerts.