The developer of the Lay Wood housing scheme, The Crown Estate, has agreed to provide extra facilities in Bishops Cannings which add up to more than £3m.

As part of Section 106 obligations The Crown Estate would pay £800,919 to provide 63 extra primary school places in Bishops Cannings and £249,015 for 13 extra secondary school places at Devizes School.

More than £1.4 million would be for a play area while £57,000 would go towards drainage and resurfacing of the village car park and a new footpath along the road opposite the car park by the village hall and £69,000 would go towards maintenance and upgrading of the canal towpath.

The developers will also pay £809,500 towards mitigating traffic congestion caused by the new 230-home estate.

This sum would include £400,000 to fund an additional bus service or alternative sustainable transport measures, plus £405,000 towards measures in the Devizes Transport Strategy.

Meanwhile, when Mactaggart and Mickel’s planning application for 350 homes by Coate Bridge was refused by Wiltshire Council’s strategic planning committee last September it had agreed to fund more than £2.3 million towards facilities in the area.


This comprised £1.9 million towards an extra 95 places at Southbroom Infant and Junior schools and 68 secondary places at Devizes School; £150,000 over five years towards public transport; £105,000 to upgrade the canal towpath and £212,450 towards sports pitches at Green Lane, Devizes.