Government approves 300 homes at Snarlton Farm despite Neighbourhood Plan conflict

Plans for up to 300 homes on the edge of Melksham have been approved after the Secretary of State overturned Wiltshire Council’s decision to refuse the development.

The government has allowed an appeal by Catesby Estates for the proposed development on land at Snarlton Farm, south of Snarlton Lane and east of Eastern Way, despite the site being outside the settlement boundary and not allocated for housing in the recently adopted Joint Melksham Neighbourhood Plan 2.

Wiltshire Council’s Strategic Planning Committee refused the application last August, just one day after the Joint Melksham Neighbourhood Plan 2 was formally adopted following a local referendum with 88% voting in favour of the plan.

The refusal was appealed by the developer and, earlier this year, the Planning Inspectorate referred the decision to the Secretary of State because of the size of the proposal.

During a four-day public inquiry in January, around 20 residents, councillors and community representatives spoke against the plans, defending the Joint Melksham Neighbourhood Plan 2 and arguing that approving the development would undermine years of community-led planning. They also raised concerns over landscape impact, traffic, the loss of agricultural land and the precedent the development could set for future speculative housing proposals in the town.

In the decision letter, dated 28th July, the Secretary of State accepted the site is outside Melksham’s settlement boundary and that the proposal conflicts with Wiltshire Core Strategy policies and the Neighbourhood Plan. However, the letter says those policies are out of date and the conflict carries “limited weight”.

The decision concludes Wiltshire Council has only a 2.16-year housing land supply and says the development would make “a meaningful contribution” towards improving both market and affordable housing provision.

The decision states, “the adverse impacts of granting permission would not significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits” and concludes that “the material considerations in this case indicate that permission should be granted.”

The outline permission allows up to 300 homes, together with a community building, open space, play areas and associated infrastructure, with detailed designs to be submitted at a later stage.