A warehouse could be built on the edge of Bowerhill, as plans have been submitted by local business Gompels Healthcare Ltd.
The application proposes the construction of a warehouse, office space and parking facilities on 5.5 hectares of land to the south of the A365 Bath Road and west of Turnpike Garage.
The Gompels family has had a business in the town since 1957, growing from a pharmacy in the middle of town to become a nationwide supplier providing specialist feeds for the sick, infection control items such as gloves and arts and crafts supplies for nurseries across the country.
Gompels Healthcare says this new development is critical to their operations and the company has been searching for a suitable site for over five years. The development is expected to create 275 new jobs in Melksham and safeguard many existing ones.
“As an ever-growing and long-standing employer in Melksham, we are always keen to meet local decision-makers to share the challenges of running a business,” said Director Sam Gompels. “Finding a new site for our business that serves thousands of care homes and children’s nurseries has been a significant struggle. Frustratingly, many obvious sites around Melksham are unavailable, having been land banked by developers for housing. This is the only viable site that offers a long-term solution to our expansion needs.”
The proposed site is currently agricultural land, which has raised concerns among some residents. Objections on the Wiltshire Council planning portal highlight fears over the loss of farmland, the impact on the area’s aesthetic appeal and increased traffic.
One Bowerhill Lane resident, who has lived in the area for 33 years, commented, “I demand that this application be rejected. The natural beauty, biodiversity and historical heritage of Bowerhill must be preserved for future generations.”
Another Bowerhill resident expressed ‘huge concerns’ about the development bringing large amounts of traffic to the area and adding more lorries to the ‘already busy’ main road. “Would it not be a greater suggestion to build what is required over on the Bowerhill industrial estate, causing less of a disturbance,” they said.
Others have suggested that Gompels should utilise existing warehouses in the area rather than develop new land.
Recently, local MP Brian Mathew met with the Gompels team to discuss the plans and business challenges. He was keen to learn more about how the business operates, the pressures experienced during the Covid pandemic and the investment in robotics that the company is making.
The planning application can be found on Wiltshire Council’s planning portal: https://development.wiltshire.gov.uk/pr/s.
Pictured: Site plan from the Wiltshire Council planning portal
