Council opposes new Semington Road housing plan

MELKSHAM Without Parish Council is opposing an application to build 53 homes on land to the west of Semington Road.

Cllr Richard Wood said, “We are very unhappy this. We have no hesitation in opposing this as we do not think this is appropriate and goes completely against local planning policy.”

The council have concerns about the erosion of the rural buffer between Berryfield and Melksham, the poor pedestrian access to the town and over the A350 road and the lack of school facilities to support the development.

The plans have been submitted to Wiltshire Council for the development which follows the approval of 50 homes on an adjacent field in June. Wiltshire Council had rejected that development saying it was outside  the build limit in its core strategy but the developers won on appeal, despite also being opposed by Melksham Without and Melksham Town Councils.

The new application site is 2.6 hectares of flat agricultural land which the plans say is ‘screened by mature vegetation’. In line with Wiltshire Council planning policy, 30% of the new homes will be affordable housing.

The developers, Terra Strategic, argue: “The benefits of new affordable housing will be significant.

“Improving the supply of affordable homes will mean that households needing affordable housing will spend less time in unsuitable accommodation, and less time bidding for over-subscribed housing.

“This will improve the lives of those real households who will benefit from the provision of high quality, affordable homes that meet their needs.

“The proposed development will also mean the council will be better placed to address the most severe housing issues such as those households facing crisis through homelessness.

“The proposed affordable housing will come forward in a mix of tenures including affordable rented housing and shared ownership, therefore helping to meet the needs of different parts of the housing market.

“Therefore, it is the view of both Tetlow King Planning and Terra that the planning permission should be granted without delay to address the pressing affordable housing need.”