100 new homes could be built on Sandridge Common in the near future after council planners last week approved the build, which would see Melksham continue to extend to the north-east.
The new houses, applied for by property developer Robert Hitchins Ltd in December, would be built opposite the Skylark Road area on what is currently around eight acres of farmland.
Neither Melksham Without Parish Council, which has authority over the area, nor Melksham Town Council objected to the proposal. However, both requested that large buildings not be built close to the existing bungalows on the west side.
The parish council also noted that a pedestrian crossing, street lights, and a community hall should be included in the development.
A number of local residents wrote to object to the plans, many of them expressing upset at the loss of more open countryside, and at the prospect of more traffic.
One wrote, “The views that we currently enjoy and the peaceful community we live in will soon disappear if this development is allowed and will probably set a precedent for more development on this side of the A3102.
“There are abandoned areas/plots around Melksham that should be considered first before destroying the open land around.
“The style of the properties in the development and the distance from the existing boundaries will have a dramatic effect on the surrounding properties, which are predominantly bungalows.”