Go-ahead for 145 homes to be built on farm despite concerns

NEARLY 150 homes will be built on a farm on the edge of a Wiltshire town.

Wiltshire Council voted to approve a planning application for land at Glenmore Farm on The Ham in Westbury. It proposes up to 145 homes, a community orchard, children’s play areas, tree planting, habitat creation and ecology buffers.

Members of the council expressed concerns about the location of the proposed bus stop, standing water in the area, and potential congestion on the roundabout at the end of The

Ham. David Jenkins, a resident who has lived on The Ham for nearly 50 years, attended the meeting.

He claimed that the access point to the proposed site was a potential accident blackspot with insufficient visibility.

He said: “The people who will be using this will be in danger.”

Meanwhile, Councillor Francis Morland called the proposal a “deeply flawed scheme”, and Councillor Suzanne Wickham echoed the concerns of local residents.

Councillor John Masson, the chairman of Heywood Council, reported that it objects strongly to the application.

He said: “There is a lack of sustainable access, and there will be a high degree of reliance on private vehicles.

“The site is a 30-minute walk to the nearest supermarket in central Westbury, a 40-minute walk to the White Horse health centre, and 25-minute walk to the nearest school.”

Jemma Shorrock, the planning consultant representing the applicant, argued that the scheme provides a series of benefits.

She said: “Aside from delivering much-needed market housing that responds to the needs of Westbury, it also provides 58 affordable homes.”

In response to previously expressed concerns, the planning consultant added: “The application has gone through rigorous approval processes, including traffic and speed surveys, and a stage-2 road safety audit.”