Permission granted for 55 houses in Holt despite robust community objections

Despite robust objections by the local community, a further 55 houses are due to be built in Holt, following Wiltshire Council’s approval of the outline planning application last week.

Wiltshire Council’s Strategic Planning Committee voted to approve the outline planning application for Redcliffe Homes to develop 55 houses on land north of Melksham Road in Holt, on Tuesday 15th April.

Holt residents and local councillors turned out in force to the meeting, urging Wiltshire councillors to refuse the application. Their objections included damage to the landscape, poor travel links, lack of infrastructure in Holt and road safety concerns, particularly following a recent planning application for 90 houses to be developed on the other side of the B3107, which Wiltshire Council granted on appeal earlier this year.

In their objections, Holt Parish Council said they opposed the plans due to the conflict with the NPPF [National Planning Policy Framework], Wiltshire Core Strategy, emerging Local Plan and the Holt Neighbourhood Plan. The council said that Holt has met its share of new housing until 2038 and that the proposal exceeds Holt’s housing needs and is outside the limits of development. The council also said the plans show inadequate pedestrian safety measures, as the development site sits on the opposite side of the road to the primary school and secondary school bus pick-up points, meaning children would need to cross the busy B3107. They also said there is a lack of GP surgeries and secondary school spaces, and contributions should be sought for these if the application is to be allowed.

Broughton Gifford Parish Council echoed these concerns and added that concerns are also held about green space and the boundary between Broughton Gifford and Holt villages. The council said that the two villages are moving into closer proximity if this development is approved, and this affects the character of the villages.

At the meeting, a resident said the development would ‘permanently degrade’ the landscape.

She said, “The nearby footpath is well used by visitors and locals alike. The National Trust promotes the walk along this footpath which links the historic properties at Great Chalfield Manor and The Courts Garden. The walk here is so special that it features in regional guidebooks.

“Wiltshire Council’s landscape manager has described this as one of the better examples of rural farmland in the character area. The landscape officer initially concluded the development would result in such major adverse landscape harm that this development should be refused despite the housing shortfall. I find it hard to understand why he has now withdrawn that strongly expressed objection.

“Councillors, you are entitled to take a different view from your planning officer; the damage done here is a step too far. This is your chance to uphold Wiltshire’s policies that protect valued landscapes. You don’t have to accept wrong development in the wrong place.”

Another resident also spoke in objection, raising concerns about road safety, particularly for children crossing the B3107.

She also said that some of the developer’s statements in the documents are ‘factually incorrect’ and urged councillors ‘not to be swayed by the developers’ spin.’

She said, “Their own energy and sustainability statement refers to the site being in a city and [also] mentions existing buildings. [These are factually incorrect], with a holding objection in place from Wiltshire’s own climate officer.

“Redcliffe calls this a walkable site; however, their design and access statement and travel plan are also factually incorrect. They are listing amenities that don’t exist in Holt and timings that are not doable from the site. 10.75 minutes to the shop – no. And that is not without taking the state of the footpaths into account.”

However, before the chamber went to a vote, a planning officer for Wiltshire Council, Kenny Green, said that making the decision was a ‘balancing act’ and that Wiltshire Council needed to show planning inspectors that they are making the ‘right’ decisions, otherwise it could be placed under special measures.

He said, “The government like testing councils and putting them on performance reviews. There is a serious situation that councils enter when we get so many overturns. You might have heard 10% being mentioned by governments.

“If councils breach the 10% rule in overturns, there is a risk that councils can enter special measures. Special measures mean this council cannot determine applications, and we are getting close to that 10%. We are [around] 7%. That is a risk moving forward. Refusing applications and not having very robust grounds to defend it, there is obviously the risk of not only losing that appeal but getting close to that 10% threshold, and special measures is not something we want to enter.”

At the end of the discussion, the vote was carried by the majority of councillors, with three objecting.