A CONTENTIOUS planning application for 200 houses in Pewsham has been thrown out on appeal.

Gleeson Developments Limited first submitted an outline planning application back in 2015 for the construction of 200 homes, employment space, a community building, a bus stop and a children's play area, among other associated works, for land at Forest Farm.

But after being denied permission by Wiltshire Council only a few months later, the developers decided to appeal the decision - citing the fact that the local authority was unable to demonstrate a five year housing supply.

This week, the Planning Inspectorate published its report for the appeal which looked at multiple issues regarding the application including whether the proposal would be in an acceptable location having regard to development plan and national policies; the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the surrounding rural area; and the current position in relation to the five year housing land supply.

In the report, published on Thursday, inspector Lesley Coffey said: “The proposal would provide a number of benefits, including the delivery of affordable and market housing, employment and an increase in economic spending. It would also deliver some biodiversity benefits and the transport improvements identified above. To be weighed against these benefits, is the significant harm to the character and appearance of the landscape that I have identified, which would also be contrary to paragraph 17 of the Framework due to the intrinsic harm to the countryside and the failure of the development to take account of the different roles and character of different areas. In this regard the proposal would not be environmentally sustainable.

"At the time the appeal application was determined the Council was unable to demonstrate a five year housing land supply. Following the publication of the Chippenham Site Allocations Plan inspector’s report, which endorsed the strategic sites at Rawlings Green and South West Chippenham, it revised its housing land supply position for 2015/16 to include the housing due to be delivered by these sites and also made a number of amendments to the previous document.

"The Council believes that it now has sufficient land to deliver 7,446 dwellings which equates to a 5.46 year supply of housing land.

“Overall the proposal would not represent sustainable development and would be contrary to the development plan as a whole. The benefits of the proposal and other material considerations do not outweigh the harm that would arise from the proposal, or justify a decision other than in accordance with the development plan. Therefore the appeal should be dismissed.”

The application received 38 letters of representation when it was first submitted.