Chippenham ambulance station housing plans approved

Following a four-year planning process, Wiltshire Council has granted permission for a large new housing development at the old Chippenham ambulance station on Malmesbury Road.

The disused site has been vacant since the Wiltshire Ambulance Service left the station several years ago for a new home on Bath Road.

Developers Persimmon Homes Wessex will now convert it into the ‘Oak Rise’ development.

Persimmon is now working to fully purchase the land in the coming months and the first occupations are expected by 2025.

Under the newly approved plans, the currently empty and underutilised buildings will be demolished and replaced with new housing.

The old Chippenham ambulance station (Image: Newsquest)

The developers say these new homes will be “high-quality” and energy efficient, with each house set to be powered by air source heat pumps and solar panels, and equipped with electric vehicle charging points.

There are also plans for a publicly accessible green space and biodiversity enhancement measures, including bird and bat boxes.

Investment in local travel links will include a new pedestrian and cycle connection, while Persimmon says it will put £1 million into upgrading local schools, facilities and play areas.

Julian Roper, the managing director of Persimmon Homes Wessex, said the approval of the “exciting” scheme was an important step towards meeting local housing needs.

He added: “Persimmon is delighted to have secured planning permission from Wiltshire Council to bring 95 new, high-quality homes for local people to Chippenham.

“The exciting scheme will see us build homes with quality our customers can rely on at a price they can afford, while we also transfer 26 properties to a local housing association to help tackle local housing needs.”

Plans for the new 95-home development in Chippenham (Image: Persimmon Homes Wessex)

Persimmon says the new development will also leave a “positive legacy” in Chippenham through investment in travel infrastructure and biodiversity improvements.

Mr Roper added: “As part of our mission to leave a positive and lasting legacy, we will also be delivering active travel links, biodiversity enhancements, and contributing over £1m towards infrastructure improvements in Chippenham.

“The project team at Persimmon has worked proactively with local authority officers and other stakeholders to develop a high-quality scheme that works for the site's unique potential and challenges, and we look forward to delivering on the vision we’ve built together.”