CAMPAIGNERS who successfully fought off previous plans to build homes on land off Woodrow Road are joining forces again.
This time, residents are opposing plans by Pegasus Group to build 150 homes on land situated to the south of Woodrow Road.
The main concern of the campaign group is the proposed pedestrian access to the development off Woodrow Road, which they say is “lethal” and could exacerbate existing “dangerous” traffic problems.
Residents faced similar plans in 2016 when housing developer Waddeton Park Ltd proposed to build 152 homes in the area. Following a successful campaign and huge opposition from residents, the application was thrown out by Wiltshire Council.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Sue Carter, who started the original campaign in 2016, told Melksham News, “We are totally against this! It’s dreadful where they are proposing to build pedestrian access to the development – it’s so dangerous on a narrow road with a bend.
“It’s most likely that someone will get killed. Loads of cars have gone into walls near there, someone was killed there a few years ago – the road already is a real problem.
“It is lethal – and there is no footpath, children won’t be able to walk to school – and there’s nowhere to put footpaths, the road isn’t wide enough!
“This is the main thing we are worried about and we think this could be the only way of stopping it or delaying it – the developers will find a way of getting around other problems like archeological digs and the lack of infrastructure to support it.”
The public consultation on the proposal for 150 homes off Woodrow Road is open until this Friday, 2nd October, after which the developers, Pegasus Group, will submit a planning application to Wiltshire Council.
The plans have already attracted strong opposition from residents, both Melksham’s councils, and local Wiltshire councillors, with some describing the development as “completely predatory and speculative.”
For more information about the proposed housing development on land to the south of Woodrow Road, and for details about how to take part in the public consultation, visit the website: www.woodrowroadmelksham.co.uk
To support the campaigners and for more information, search for ‘Woodrow Road and Local Community’ on Facebook.
