Planning Application Objections

At our Parish Council Meeting on Wednesday 10 June 2020 the Cllrs unanimously voted to Object to the following planning applications:

20/03487/FUL Land at Sutton Lane, SN15 4RR – Residential development for 23 dwellings with associated infrastructure and construction of new access onto Sutton Lane.
20/03875/OUT Land to the east of Church View, SN15 4FD – Outline planning permission, with all matters reserved except for access, for up to 178 dwellings and associated infrastructure.
20/03876/OUT Land to the east of Church View, SN15 4FD – Outline planning permission, with all matters reserved except for access, for up to 24 dwellings and associated infrastructure.

The Council’s full responses to the above objections will be submitted soon, but to summarise our reasons:

  1. The developments are contrary to Core Policies 1, 2, 10, 48, 58, 60 and 61 of the Wiltshire Core Strategy (2015).
  2. Unsustainable GrowthWiltshire Council Strategic Planning have already recognized that we have had a high level of growth – between 2006 and 2017, 99 new houses were completed in Sutton Benger, a growth of 27%, largely due to the redevelopment of the former Chicken Factory site.  Since 2017 another 16 new houses have been approved and built or are in progress, with another 4 awaiting decision – this will increase the growth since 2006 to 30%.  There is no immediate need for additional housing in the local community and we have seen far more development than the other identified 4 large villages in the Chippenham Community Area.
  3. Impact on Infrastructure and Services – the developments are unable to be supported by current village infrastructure and services – no village shop, poor public transport, school at capacity, doctor’s surgery at capacity and drainage and sewage pipes unable to cope with current outflow.  The developments offer no employment opportunities or additional services and facilities.  The developments will create ‘commuter communities’ that will have a disproportionate effect on the community and the Conservation Area.
  4. Highways Safety – the increase in traffic from all 3 sites onto the B4069 and the recent developments in Lyneham to the East, the St Modwen Distribution Centre to the North West and the Bird’s Marsh Development to the West raises concerns about highway safety and the safety of schoolchildren crossing the High Street.  Many vehicles exceed the speed limit on the straight stretch of the B4069 to be accessed by the 2 Land to the East of Church View applications and is regularly closed due to significant flooding.  The Land at Sutton Lane applications will be affected by the regular significant flooding of Sutton Lane with the road being closed for weeks at a time.
  5. Biodiversity, Ecological Impact and Habitat Loss – we would seek to protect the biodiversity of the sites as they are in an area identified as having a priority species for Community Stewardship Targeting by DEFRA, for lapwings.  We are concerned over the loss of habitat and the impact on the surrounding environment if these greenfield sites are developed.