PLANS to build a housing estate in Melksham Forest have been halved because Wiltshire Council believes there could be Roman artefacts buried beneath the fields.
Local residents were upset last year by plans to build 152 houses next to Woodrow Road in the Forest area of town. However, the proposal has now been reduced to 77 homes because there could be ancient, or even prehistoric, ruins underground.
A survey published last summer highlighted the concerns and the housebuilder changed its application earlier this month to include 75 fewer homes.
The survey, completed by a Wiltshire Council officer, objected to the original plan and said further investigation was required. It said there was “potential for archaeological activity within the vicinity of the site for the prehistoric and Roman periods”.
Melksham Town, Melksham Without and Lacock councils all objected to the plan before the discovery, and residents in the area started a campaign group to oppose it.
Woodrow Road resident Sue Carter started the campaign group.
Sue said, “We are pleased that the discovery means there won’t be as many houses for now, but we’re still fighting against the plan. We don’t want any to be built at all. The people who would be most affected – on the edge of the fields and opposite the entry road – are still in the same position.
“The local councils have been brilliant so far but it’s really, really difficult to get a planning application turned down. We realise what we’re up against.
“Even if Wiltshire Council turns it down they need to have a watertight reason to defend it at an appeal to the Government. If permission is given for the smaller application I think the developer will just keep pushing until they can build on all the land.
“The traffic if this goes through will be horrendous on what are already very congested, tiny roads. The vehicle estimates on the planning application are laughable.
“There are a lot of people opposed to this, more passionately than we were at the start, and we’re going to fight it all the way.”
Melksham Without Parish Council, which is responsible for the area, will be having a public meeting to discuss the new plans on Tuesday 21st February at Forest Community Centre from 7pm; residents are encouraged to attend.
To see the new plans go to www.wiltshire.gov.uk, use reference 16/05644 /OUT in the planning search and see the revised drawings.
