Housing giant Barratt, which is keen to build 3,600 homes on the flood plain close to Chippenham town centre, is just one developer who has vied for the site over the last twenty years.

The company has submitted a proposal to North Wiltshire District Council to ask whether they need to undertake an environmental impact assessment before putting in a planning application for the massive development.

District and county councillor for Chippenham Patrick Coleman remembers a similar proposal submitted 15 years ago.

He said: “At that time the county council asked us to consider agreeing to a housing developer paying to have an option over the land.

“This would have meant that they could have built on the land when they wanted to.

“We were all against this proposal as we were all, and still are, of the opinion that greenfield sites should be the last to be developed.

“I am now concerned more than ever that land, such as that to the rear of Hardens Mead, should be left as it is.

“I am also of the opinion that developers think they have a window of opportunity to slide plans under the radar between March next year when the district council disbands to June when the unitary authority takes over.

“During this time the Regional Spatial Strategy, which says more and more houses should be build, overrules the local plan, which manages where and how many dwellings can be built.”

Coun Coleman also said there were a number of other potential areas for development that would not have such a detrimental affect on the town.

He said: “Although controversial, I think building houses on the ambulance station on Malmesbury Road and Langley Park Industrial Estate where ASDA wants to move is much more suitable.”

The land, which covers more than 200ha is predominately owned by Wiltshire County Council with a small plot of land to the north east of the site belonging to a farmer.

FACT FILE

  • The proposal is to see whether or not Barratt would need to undertake an Environmental Impact Assessment for the land before submitting a planning application.
  • The plan itself is to develop the 209ha site for 3,600 houses and set aside 22ha for employment land, a local centre, shops, community centres, health facilities, a pub, a post office and a number of educational facilities.

It also includes areas for landscaping and public open space.

  • The majority of the land is owned by Wiltshire County Council with a small patch to the North East owned by a farmer. The site wraps around the River Avon and starts just behind Hardens Mead to the south all the way up to Monkton Park on the north and Stanley Lane to the east.
  • The last application for the site was submitted in 1993 when Wiltshire County Council asked councillors in Chippenham to consider selling an option to a developer to build on the site at a later date. This was rejected.