Hillworth Valley appeal plans slammed by Devizes residents

After being rejected by Wiltshire Council, plans for 59 new homes in the valley to the west of Hillworth Road, Devizes, have been heard on appeal by the planning inspectorate.

While representatives for applicants Square Bay argued the development would be a benefit to Devizes, and tackle a “significant shortfall” in Wiltshire’s housing supply, residents spoke out angrily against the plans.

The biggest concern for many who live in the surrounding areas was the impact of additional housing on the highway infrastructure.

Residents claimed the state of Hillworth Road, the proposed access point for the development, was “not sufficient for the current dwellings” and that an influx of new homes would “gridlock the town.”

Councillor Iain Wallis, Wiltshire Councillor for Devizes North who grew up on Hillworth road, agreed: “I have travelled up and down the road for 40 years and the traffic is far heavier than has been indicated.

“The amount of cars parked there already make it extremely difficult and my first car was written off at the junction with Long Street, so there are accidents.

“Every single councillor who visited commented on the unsuitability of the road so it is an issue for everyone who lives here and uses it every day.”

Town councillor Maria Hoult added: “This will cause even more traffic jams and I don’t see how the infrastructure of a very small town will be improved by this.”

The access point to the proposed development on Hillworth Road (Image: Google Maps)

Representatives for the developers insisted that all the technical evidence they have indicates the development would be acceptable from a highway perspective.

Wiltshire Council agreed the site is a sustainable location for development from an accessibility perspective, as it falls on land partly identified for development by local authorities.

But council representatives and locals are seeking to block the plans, partly due to the “harm” they would have on the surrounding countryside and landscape.

In the statement of common ground, council representatives said: “This would cause irreversible loss of an attractive and historic landscape and fails to protect, conserve and where possible enhance landscape character.”

Cllr Hoult added: “Brownfield sites should be developed first before destroying a green environment. How can concrete on fields be sustainable?”

The appellant’s landscape consultant maintained there will be no physical change to the landscape of the valley, beyond the site boundary, while the visual impact would be “negligible.”

A date for the decision is yet to be confirmed.