PUBLIC consultation is now open for a planning application to build up to 240 more homes on land south of Western Way.
The community, local councils and other consultees have until Friday 20th November to comment on the plans.
The outline planning application, made by Savills on behalf of Hallam Land Management, proposes to build on land next to the 235-home Pathfinder Way development, which is currently in progress.
The plans also include a 70-bed care home; a network of open spaces, including parkland, footpaths, a community orchard, allotments, landscaping and areas for play; new roads, parking areas and accesses and paths.
The application has already hit a stumbling block, with a ‘holding’ objection lodged by Wiltshire Council’s archaeology team.
Wiltshire Council’s assistant county archaeologist, Neil Adam, has agreed with the applicant’s own ‘historic environment desk-based assessment, that a geophysical survey of the site be carried out as it has a “moderate potential to contain finds and features from the Bronze Age, Iron Age and Roman periods”.
Neil Adam said, “I would agree with the desk-based assessment that a geophysical survey of the site is warranted, and I would advise that this work is carried out prior to the determination of the application. I would also advise that this is followed up by a trial trench evaluation, with trenches located on potential archaeological features identified by the geophysics and also within the ‘blank’ areas between them.
“Once this work has been completed and reported on, I will be able to provide a fully- informed opinion as to the need for/scope of any work to mitigate the impact of the development upon the archaeological resource following determination.”
To comment on the plans, search using the reference 20/08400/OUT on the Wiltshire Council planning website. A decision is expected by Wednesday 30th December. www.wiltshire.gov.uk/ planning-applications-search
