Works to build a pathway linking Burnet Close to Western Way are due to start in the spring, five years after Wiltshire Council received the funds for the project.
Wiltshire Council received a contribution of £124,000 in April 2020 from housebuilder Taylor Wimpey, which developed the nearby Pathfinder Way estate in Bowerhill, to support the delivery of a shared-use path linking Burnet Close to the Speedwell Close area to the Toucan crossing on the A365 Western Way.
However, the pathway has never been built, with residents and students from Melksham Oak Community School left to commute along a ‘muddy quagmire’ which they report often floods in wet weather.
Wiltshire councillor Jon Hubbard has been campaigning on the issue for five years, and Melksham Without Parish Council has also campaigned for the completion of the pathway over the years.
Cllr Jon Hubbard said, “After five years of campaigning for this essential pathway resurfacing between Burnet Close and the A365, I’m delighted that residents will finally see action. It’s frankly unacceptable that the previous Conservative administration sat on Section 106 funding for four years without delivering this basic infrastructure improvement that our community desperately needed.
“Since joining the Cabinet in May, I’ve made this project a priority, and I’m grateful to our new Cabinet Member for Highways for taking my concerns seriously. Unlike the previous administration, he actually investigated the history of this project, understood the frustration residents have endured, and has now confirmed the pathway will be resurfaced in spring 2026.
“While I regret it has taken this long, I’m pleased we finally have a firm commitment and timeline. The people of Melksham South deserved better from the previous administration, but they can now look forward to having this vital community link properly maintained at last.”
Wiltshire Council confirmed that preparatory and design activities have already been undertaken.
Leader of Wiltshire Council, Cllr Ian Thorn, said, “This includes a range of planning and environmental assessments essential to ensure the pathway is safe, sustainable, and compliant with planning and ecological requirements. Subject to the completion of the design process, we hope to start works on the path in spring 2026.”
Pictured: Cllr Jon Hubbard at the site of the new pathway
