More houses planned for controversial site (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

More houses planned for controversial site

9:54am Monday 12th February 2007 in

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Yet another planning application has been submitted for a controversial development on Royal Field Close, Hullavington.

Developer George Wimpey has devised a new scheme to demolish number 11 and build 16 houses on land at the site.

Outline permission to destroy the existing house and build on the land was granted in September 2005 on appeal.

North Wiltshire District Council had originally refused the outline scheme.

Officers said in their decision: "The proposed development would result in the loss of an attractive and important greenfield site.

"The site has an important visual function in forming a soft, rustic edge to the village, merging the surrounding countryside with the built up area.

"The development of the site would unacceptably erode this and harm the character and visual qualities of this part of the village."

However, a planning inspector ruled the impact on the village and surrounding properties would be minimal.

A detailed application for 18 homes was then submitted by developers LPC (Trull), but the district council turned it down in June last year.

Another appeal was lodged, but the planning inspector upheld the council's decision in December.

While the appeal decision was pending, another application for 15 homes was refused by the district council.

Barry Budd, of Royal Field Close, said he would be objecting to the latest developers' scheme.

"I'm surprised, because the district council has already rejected one proposal for 15 houses," he said.

"It would appear that, regardless of local objections and district council refusal, at the end of the day a planning inspector will come along and make his own decision.

"The authority to build on the land has already been given, so we can't argue against that, although we would very much like to.

"But if they were to come up with a scheme for eight or ten houses I think people would just bury the hatchet and say Get on with it', but they keep getting in these massive amounts of houses."

County councillor John Thomson added: "I have been against this development from day one and I haven't changed my position.

"We have to be careful between the balance of having some development in our villages and development that totally changes the character of them.

"I am very supportive of the position that has been taken by the residents and district council all along on this.

"I think the decisions to refuse it have been right, and I hope that continues."