WILTSHIRE councillors who turned down a plan for a care village for older people on land next to Quakers Walk in Devizes are being urged to drop the reasons for their refusal as officers fear it will prove costly when the matter goes to appeal.

In an unprecedented move Mike Wilmott, area development manager at Wiltshire Council, says the three reasons given for refusing the planning application by the Society of Merchant Ventur-ers cannot be supported with substantive evidence.

The council’s Eastern area planning committee’s reasons for refusal were: Concerns about noise from the police helicopter landing pad and Devizes Sports Club; the impact on traffic congestion on London Road; and that the care village may lead to an over supply of care provision for elderly people in the Devizes area.

The committee refused the outline planning application last month and the Society of Merchant Venturers has appealed. At a meeting tonight the council’s Eastern area planning committee is being recommended by Mr Wilmott to not pursue the reasons put forward for refusing the application.

He said during consultation no-one objected on the issue of noise; the likely level of increased congestion would be two per cent, planning officers were content with the developer’s transport assessment; and a council director said there is no evidence that there would be an over supply of extra care accommodation.

If the committee agrees to Mr Wilmott’s recommendation its refusal would still stand and the appeal would go ahead, giving an opportunity for other objectors to make representations.

Mr Wilmott says in his report that the planning inspector will give weight to the National Planning Policy Framework which gives presumption in favour of sustainable development.

Mr Wilmott says: “Officers believe that the council leaves itself open to an award of costs for unreasonable behaviour in delaying development that should otherwise have been approved.”

The Trust for Devizes objected to the planning application and chairman Ted East was appalled at the prospect of the council changing its mind.

He said: “The new advice from planning officers is to give in to the well funded developers rather than trying to support the decision of the local councillors on the committee. We find this attitude hard to understand.”