Plans submitted to build 135 homes in Laverstock

The plans have been submitted by Hallam Land Management Limited and Velcourt Group Limited - for land off of Church Road.

They also include "the laying out of a car park with up-to 50 spaces, access from Church Road, Green Infrastructure including landscaping and children’s play, a sustainable urban drainage system and utility buildings".

In the planning statement, it says benefits of the proposals include:

• "The delivery of new homes to assist in meeting the acknowledged shortfall which exists;
• "The delivery of affordable housing in an area where there are some 737 households seeking accommodation in this area, and;
• "The creation of some 230 direct and indirect construction jobs. 

Strategy to 'promote healthy living'

The application says 81 of the dwellings would be for "market housing", 34 for "Social, Affordable or Intermediate Rent", 10 affordable homes and 10 starter homes.

It does not specify how many bedrooms each house would have.

It also says that vehicular access will be from Church Road, and that footpath connections will be provided onto Church Road.

It says: "A second point of access will be provided to facilitate access to the proposed car park.

"The overall strategy is intended to encourage the community to walk and cycle and will promote healthy active living for the new community".

Artists impression, land off Church Road

Heritage and Designations

The heritage assessment has "established that the site lies in an area that has moderate to high potential for Neolithic, Bronze Age, Iron Age and Romano-British remains".

The geophysical survey has revealed the remains of an "undated enclosure toward the south western corner of the study site", but says that this feature is considered to be "of no more than local significance".

It adds: "As the archaeological remains that either known or suspected to be located within the site are of no more than local significance and are not a design constraint, further predetermination archaeological work is considered to be unnecessary.

"There may be some very minor degree of impact on the latter listed buildings and conservation area by development within their settings, this impact will be of an extremely low order and there will be no harm to the built historic environment."

Cllr Ian McLennan. DC8017P2..Picture by Tom Gregory.

'The village has nothing to gain and its soul to lose'

Ian McLennan, Wiltshire Councillor for Laverstock, said "consternation [at the plans] is very evident", adding that he is "confident that all Laverstock residents will object to this proposal".

He said: "Whilst developers can, of course, speculate by submitting a planning application, it does show them in a poor light, on this occasion.

"Laverstock is a settled village and listed, in Wiltshire Core Strategy as a ‘small village’, for development purposes. In planning terms, infill only is permitted. 1,2 or possibly 3 dwellings, if appropriate.

"We do accept development in the parish of Laverstock & Ford, as everyone is aware, to the tune of 3250 homes in the last 30 years. There is more possible within the fresh consultation underway, for the Core Strategy, however, not in Laverstock".

He added: "Residents and the Parish Council recognised some years ago that a parish plan was needed and more recently, a Neighbourhood Plan, which is well underway. Green space preservation and acquisition for the people, is a high priority, for all residents.

"This application is unwelcome and not borne out of any strategy. It most definitely is not an allocated site and nor is it ‘infill of 1-3 dwellings’.

"Wiltshire Council are working to help reduce school traffic, at this time. This would make things much worse, not better. The village has nothing to gain and its soul to lose".

To view the plans in full, go to wiltshire.gov.uk/planning-applications-search and search under planning number 20/11598/OUT.

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