More than 30 Devizes residents protested plans to build almost 60 new homes on land west of Hillworth Road last week.

They braved the rain on Sunday October 30 and gathered at the site against plans they say would see the loss of vital wildlife habitats and cause traffic chaos for those in the area.

The planning application, which is being heard by Wiltshire Councils Strategic Planning Committee on Thursday November 3, would see the construction of 59 new homes on the greenfield site.  

Hillworth Road resident Steve Cole who organised the protest said: “This development is purely speculative, and its only aim is to make money from one of the town’s most valuable wildlife habitats. We don’t need speculation; we need preservation and protection to ensure our community and the wildlife can continue to enjoy this area for years to come”.

Earlier in the year over 100 people responded to a planning consultation voicing their concerns.

But in the plans the developers, Square Bay Ltd, say: “Few of the objections are based on planning policy. Where concerns around policy are raised (for example concerns about the impact of the development on local highways), these will be addressed through the planning process.”

The developers add: “The existing highway network would satisfactorily accommodate the additional traffic arising from the proposed development without resulting in any severe impacts.”

The proposal includes the development of 130 car park spaces.  

However, Mr Cole said “We completely disagree with the developers saying there will be little or no impact on traffic in the area. You don’t have to spend very long in Hillworth Road to see the issues we already have so adding 120 or so cars into the area will create traffic chaos. Even Wiltshire Council planning officers have said the development is likely to cause traffic congestion at the Junction with Long Street”.

The protestors say on the site there are eleven species of bat, three of which are protected, and many species of birds including two on the red list of conservation of concern.

Local Resident Jackie Wallis, who has lived next to the proposed site for almost 50 years said “The developers just aren’t thinking about us, the real people who live here. All they see is money and that’s just wrong”.

The Save Hillworth Valley Campaign was started in late 2021 by Town Councillor Maria Hoult and Wiltshire Councillor Iain Wallis.