A361 Devizes industrial estate plans will go to appeal

In April Wiltshire Council rejected plans to build the huge facility, on the land between the A361 London Road and Horton Road, over concerns surrounding highway safety.

The suitability of the proposed access point, the impact on the residential area, and the issues caused by increased traffic were cited as reasons for refusing planning permission.

But developers Berkeley Strategic Land Ltd have now appealed the decision and requested a hearing due to the “level of local interest.”

The land off Horton Road in Devizes (Image: Newsquest)The plans caused controversy amongst residents with around 177 public comments submitted during a consultation.

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Two members of the public spoke against the proposal at the council’s Eastern Area Planning Committee, before councillors voted to turn down the proposal.

Cllr Philip Whitehead also criticised the plans and raised several concerns about the access arrangements at the site.

In the appellant's statement of case, they argue that there is a need for this development at the location, which has been allocated as a “strategically important” employment site in the local plan.

No date has been set for the hearing at this point.