FOLLOWING on from last week’s story about the examination on the Chippenham Site Allocations Plan, one of the inspector’s major concerns was that it had not been drawn up as an employment-led plan in accordance with the aims of the recently adopted Wiltshire Core Strategy. Indeed, the eastern link road could encourage out-commuting.
We heard that jobs and at least 300 houses could be found on brownfield sites in the town centre and that there are dispersed sites that have not been assessed. However, the sites included in the plan are all greenfield sites on the periphery. As is well known, towns that have developed only on the periphery have become depressed because the town centre has fallen into decline.
If Chippenham is to grow as a flourishing town, will Wiltshire Council now take the opportunity to develop a sound plan that includes and gives priority to the centre? CHARMIAN SPICKERNELL , CPRE group committee member
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