No infrastructure, no greenlight: Housing development rejected in Calne

An application to build up to 100 new homes on land east of Spitfire Road in Calne has been refused due to infrastructure concerns.

Robert Hitchins, a family-owned property company, submitted the application in 2022 to create ‘much needed housing in Calne’ however, Wiltshire Council denied planning permission after they found the proposal was contrary to multiple polices in the Wiltshire Core Strategy.

The application remarked: ‘The overarching vision is to create a distinctive development with a strong identity that responds to the local character of the site, its position close to newly build development and environmental context to deliver a new development appropriate to its location and setting.

‘The proposed development will create much needed housing in Calne in a sustainable location whilst improving public access across the site and to the wider pedestrian and cycle network.’

However, Calne Town Council and Calne Without Parish Council have expressed their concerns about the development of the new homes, particularly the location of them and their impact on local services.

The town council said: ‘The level of recent development in Calne has left a serious issue with infrastructure in the town and this application will worsen the situation.

‘Specifically, there is real concern that no additional doctors and dentists have been provided to address the additional housing numbers and residents are already experiencing issues in accessing medical and dental provision in the town and that this proposed development will only worsen this already very serious situation.’

Against this backdrop, 13 further representations were received, with residents raising issues such as the potential traffic congestion and loss of greenfield.

Wiltshire Council also discovered that the plans were contrary to multiple policies in the Wiltshire Core Strategy and denied planning permission for the development.

The case officer report said: ‘Issues of noise, odour and dust impacts arising from the immediate neighbour at Abberd Fields Farm have not been appropriately considered and addressed, resulting in a maintained objection from the Public Protection Officer.’

Overall, it was concluded that problems the development was causing outweighed the benefits, ‘particularly in light of the fact that the council can at the current time, demonstrate sufficient supply of housing land.’

Image: Jonny Caspari

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