CONCERNED MEMBERS of Malmesbury Town Council are urging urging planners to throw out two applications to build almost 100 new homes in the town, amid fears of flooding and concerns about development on a beauty spot.

Last week the town council’s planning committee agreed to ask Wiltshire Council to reject plans by Lagan Homes and White Lion Land Limited to build 42 homes on land off Park Road, due to concerns about flooding.

The committee also objected to plans by Hollins Strategic Land for outline permission for a development of 55 homes on land beside Sherston Road, which is within the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

Cllr James Slade, Malmesbury Town Council’s planning committee chair, said the council and local residents were concerned about flooding at the Park Road site.

He said: “We have commissioned expert advice on this to support our argument that the area is a flood risk.  

“There is understandably a lot of public concern about the development, with the Environment Agency confirming the area carries a risk of flooding.

“While the developers mention having a rainwater storage plan, the streams and waterways in the immediate vicinity are already dealing with increased runoff due to existing development – we have concerns about any addition to this.”

Cllr Slade said the Park Road and Sherston Road applications both fall outside Malmesbury’s Neighbourhood Plan and the town has already exceeded its allocation for planned new housing development.

He said: “The proposed Sherston Road site is not only within the AONB, but would also extend the agreed town boundary, again falling foul of our Neighbourhood Plan and potentially planning policy.

"As a matter of course we are concerned that the developer has also failed to include provision for any solar or EV charging facilities.”

Wiltshire Council was due to discuss the Park Road development on Tuesday, August 20.

Malmesbury Town Council have asked the town’s Wiltshire councillor, Gavin Grant, to have the Sherston Road application ‘called in’. 

This means the application will follow a Wiltshire Council planning committee hearing, appeal and/or judicial appeal process.

For the site off Park Road site, a planning document by Edge Plans on behalf of the applicant read: "It would provide employment opportunities for the construction industry and benefit the wider construction industry supply chain.

"The plans would result in spending in local shops and businesses.

"The plans include provision of high quality public open space plus an enhanced gateway into Malmesbury and the national landscape."

For the Sherston Road site, a design and access statement, provided by the Urbanists on behalf of the applicant, read: "The plan offers diverse property types and occupancy arrangements, incorporating variations in building structures, plot dimensions, embellishments, and materials.

"A new central green space and natural play area will act as focal points within the development with views out over the countryside capitalising on one of the positive aspects of the site.

"The plans positively respond to the existing landscape character of the site. 

"They also provide new multifunctional attenuation features are proposed within the public open space to reduce any risk of localised flooding and enhance the ecological potential of the site.

"They offer a mix of house types and sizes capable of meeting local needs and creates a more attractive western gateway and sense of arrival into the market town."

To view the application at land off Sherston Road - tinyurl.com/3puja77y

To view the application at land off Park Road - tinyurl.com/5ccabtc5