Revised plans have been submitted for a housing development that could see 300 homes built on land south of Snarlton Farm in Melksham East.
The updated plans, originally submitted by Catesby Estates last year, now propose a roundabout at the southern access to the site instead of a signalised junction.
The change follows comments from Wiltshire Council’s highways team, who said they would prefer an alternative layout for the southern access. The development could include up to 300 houses, a community building, public open space and a park.
The original application faced strong opposition from local residents when it was first submitted last year.
Melksham Without Parish Council also objected to the plans at the time, as the land had not been allocated for housing in the town’s Joint Neighbourhood Plan.
The application was withdrawn in February last year following changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). The revised NPPF gave greater weight to Neighbourhood Plans, which allow communities more control over speculative development.
Earlier this month, the parish council submitted a further comment to Wiltshire Council calling for the Neighbourhood Plan policies to be taken into consideration of the planning application.
A resident who lives locally has also issued a comment calling for traffic calming measures to be addressed if more houses are built. He said, “Currently pulling out of Eastern Way to go left to the shops/public house, or right to the rugby club is dangerous.
“We watch daily the speed at which cars approach the junction, the current 40mph speed restriction is rarely observed. Minimum, it needs a roundabout as per all the other junctions along Eastern Way, this will in turn slow cars approaching and reduce the constant ‘boy racers’ using this section as a racetrack. Plus, more crossing points need adding as currently none along this stretch except further up for the school children.”
