A plan to build 53 affordable houses on agricultural land to the west of Semington Road will go ahead after a ruling by a planning inspector.
The plan to build homes on the site has been in contention since developers Terra Strategic first submitted them in 2019. Initially rejected by Wiltshire Council in 2021 for being outside Melksham’s development limits, the developers appealed and submitted revised plans with a proposal for 100% affordable housing, which the council approved in 2023.
This approval was believed to be influenced by the council’s affordable housing shortfall, sparking concerns that it could lead to more speculative developments. However, following changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) last year, Wiltshire Council reversed its decision, prompting a second appeal.
The second appeal has now been successful, with the planning inspector concluding that the benefits of the development outweighed its drawbacks, despite opposition from both Melksham Town Council and Melksham Without Parish Council (MWPC) over concerns such as loss of rural buffer, inadequate infrastructure and pedestrian access.
Sharing ‘disappointment’ at the application being approved, Cllr David Pafford, who spoke at the appeal representing both MWPC and the Melksham Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group, said, “While we were disappointed by the outcome of the appeal, we were not surprised, given Wiltshire Council’s failure to maintain a 4-year land supply for building. The inspector paid due regard to the significance of the Neighbourhood Plan but concluded that the benefits of the proposed development outweighed the perceived drawbacks.
“This judgement serves to underline the importance of getting Neighbourhood Plan 2 through to examination and referendum. The sooner we have a stronger case for our priorities and policies, the more effective will be our case for sustainable, proportionate development in the Melksham area.
“We were pleased to influence some planning conditions and clauses in the Section 106 legal agreement. The developers will have to submit their detailed planning application within two years, not three, thereby helping with the land supply figure. We will also have more flexibility on the spend of highway improvement funding in terms of ensuring a safe walking route to schools and a firm line on access for construction vehicles to the site.”
