Homes plan threat to Wootton Bassett wildlife haven (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Homes plan threat to Wootton Bassett wildlife haven

7:00am Saturday 4th July 2009

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Families in Wootton Bassett have hit out at controversial plans to build 100 homes on a wildlife haven in the town.

Wainhomes Developments wants to build the houses, extend a business park and create a country park on 22 hectares of land at Brynards Hill.

Richard Gosnell, of Vowley View, said the town does not need more homes and is calling for the support of Wootton Bassett Town Council.

He said: “We are up in arms over the cavalier way that developers are trying to rush plans through to build yet more houses. The town already has between 500 and 800 houses in the pipeline or actually being built.

“Few residents in the town seem to know about the plans, which have not been widely publicised. There has been no discussion or consultation.”

He added: “The developers are making an offer to make available some fields to become a ‘country park’. The park is a red herring as far as anybody who knows and uses Brynards Hill is concerned, because it is already an open-space of at least 40 years standing.

“It is enjoyed by dog walkers, ramblers or merely to sit on the hill’s top to admire the view. The site has become a good wildlife site with hundreds of rare butterflies, so why fix it if it ain’t broken.”

The developer has put in two planning applications to Wiltshire Council. One is an outline application for the homes and for an extension to Interface Business Park on 12 acres of land and the second is for the country park.

An almost identical application, involving 70 homes and a country park, was put forward by Wainhomes in 2006 but the plans were refused on the grounds that the rural setting and skyline of Brynards Hill would be damaged.

In a planning statement a spokesman for Wainhomes said the new homes would include affordable housing which would address the needs arising in the town.

On Thursday the town council’s planning committee decided to request that the two planning applications be split into three and that the residential application should be a detailed application rather than an outline planning application. Members also called for consultation with the public.

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