Local Plan withdrawal raises fears over speculative development

Melksham could see an increase in speculative housing applications after Wiltshire Council withdrew its draft Local Plan, raising concerns that developers could find it easier to seek permission for housing on unallocated sites. 

The authority agreed to remove the Local Plan (2020-2038) from the independent examination process at a Full Council meeting on 19th May following a narrow vote. The decision came after planning inspectors indicated the plan was unlikely to pass examination in its current form.

The plan, which Wiltshire Council started preparing in 2017, set out where new housing should be built across the county.

Inspectors recommended that the plan be withdrawn, saying it did not allocate enough land to meet housing need, relied on uncertain new settlements and failed to match housing delivery with areas of demand.

The Local Plan provides the strategic framework for development across Wiltshire, including housing requirements for different areas. The Joint Melksham Neighbourhood Plan helps guide where development should take place locally. Without an up-to-date Local Plan, there are concerns that neighbourhood plan policies could carry less weight when planning applications are considered, making it easier for developers to pursue speculative proposals on unallocated sites.

Chair of the Melk-sham Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group, David Pafford, said work is under way to protect the town from unplanned development.

He said, “Wiltshire Council’s Local Plan has been heavily criticised by the Inspectors and it will be some time before it will be fit for purpose. Given that this leaves the Joint Melksham Neighbourhood Plan exposed to speculative planning applications, Melksham Without Parish Council, on behalf of the JMNP, has asked Wiltshire Council to explain how many houses the Melksham area will be required to supply under the government’s formula. We are determined to defend our community from being required to supply extra houses that Wiltshire Council has failed to provide elsewhere in the county.”

During debate at the Wiltshire Council meeting, councillors were split over the decision to withdraw the plan.

Cllr Jennie Westbrook and Cllr Charlie Stokes both spoke in favour of withdrawing the plan. Cllr Stokes said, “We need to learn from what hasn’t worked, move forward with urgency and build a plan that can actually stand up at appeal and what we must do is do that with people who know our places best, our town and parish councils and volunteers who have put in years of hard work and understanding their community.”

Cllr Phil Alford argued for submitting the plan while starting work on a new plan.

He said, “We should go ahead, submit this and do the work in the background, pick it up if it goes wrong later but there is no reason why we can’t get on and do that now.”

The council will now begin work on a new Local Plan under updated national planning requirements.