Developer Mactaggart and Mickel is trying again to obtain planning permission to build 350 homes on the edge of Devizes.

It was refused permission by Wiltshire Council’s strategic planning committee in September.

Mactaggart and Mickel appealed against the decision and a public inquiry is scheduled for April 8.

But last week the developer resubmitted its application for the site, next to Coate bridge off Windsor Drive. The plan is identical to the first with the exception of some additional material in relation to air quality.

Its agent, RPS, disputes Wiltshire Council’s stance that there is a five-year supply of land for housing and referred to the Government-appointed inspector overseeing the Wiltshire Core Strategy examination saying the county needed 7,000 more homes to be built in the next 12 years.

In a letter with the resubmitted planning application, Christopher Simkins, director of planning and strategy at RPS, said: “Even if there was held to be a five-year supply of housing land, this could not be a basis for refusing planning permission having regard to the policies in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and the other relevant considerations in this case. There is no policy basis for the existence of a five-year supply itself justifying a refusal of permission.

“It is a sustainable scheme that can significantly boost housing supply and in relation to which the NPPF presumption clearly applies on the basis of out of date Development Plan policies.”

Devizes town, Roundway and Bishops Cannings parish councils are all against the application.

Rick Rowland, vice-chairman of Roundway Parish Council, has been involved with drawing up the Devizes Neighbourhood Plan.

He said: “This development is completely superfluous to the needs of the town.

"We are surprised that Mactaggart and Mickel have resubmitted the planning application and consider that they must be uncertain about their success in the appeal.

"We can meet all the housing targets that might be set for Devizes and even if Devizes had to contribute to the 7,000 additional homes, we have sufficient land for that.”