There is growing concern surrounding the mysterious repetitive rescheduling of the controversial planning application by Hills Waste Solutions for a waste transfer station at Compton Bassett outside Calne.

Calne people objected (nearly 300 of them) to the application which has HGV traffic and air quality implications for the centre of their town.

In an article in this newspaper after the last-minute withdrawal of the application from the agenda of the strategic planning committee in September, the question was asked, why did a report written weeks earlier have to be suddenly withdrawn?

This controversial application was scheduled for September 25, rescheduled for October 23 (withdrawn again), fails to make the November 13 agenda and now is apparently rescheduled for December 11. What is going on?

Council leader Jane Scott recently commented in the Gazette how surprised she was at the level of dissatisfaction Wiltshire people had with their unitary council. Why is she surprised when this kind of behind the scenes dealing is going on?

Wiltshire’s monopoly waste contractor appears not to like the proposed refusal recommendationfor this application.  So what? 

The people of Calne do not like their proposal and thought they had the support of their councillors and officers.

Calne wants to see the application heard in the open forum of the strategic planning committee with objective and rational reasons for the recommendation, not a diminished document which looks to present the negative in a positive light.

If it does not then Mrs Scott may find her council, officers and members ‘in the dock’.

Anne Henshaw,
South Nolands,
Yatesbury,
Calne.