AN APPLICATION to build 135 homes on Church Road in Laverstock has been described as “cynical and morally corrupt”, as opposition to the plans grows.

Laverstock and Ford Parish Council voted to formally object to the proposals submitted by Hallam Land Management Limited and Velcourt Group Limited at a meeting on Monday night.

The council has compiled a list of 13 fundamental issues it has with the plans, including Wiltshire Council’s “failure to meet its five year land supply target not being used as a justification for the plans”.

Almost 130 people have already commented on the application, and the overwhelming majority are opposed to the plans.

Comments have come in from across the area - Laverstock, Bishopdown, Bemerton Heath, Downton, and even from as far afield as Andover.

Church Road planning application - the story so far

'It is only a matter of time before a child is killed'

Public objections to the plans mainly focus on traffic and overdevelopment of the village, but there are also issues such archaeology and damage to the environment.

Julia Edwards, who lives on Church Road, says the village already has "appalling traffic problems", and that "as the situation stands, it is only a matter of time before a child is killed".

She adds: "Adding 135 additional dwellings as proposed will add at least a further 200 cars to the existing traffic problems, and will bring that day much closer".

Peter Hicks, who lives on Milford Mill Road, rejects the application “in the strongest possible terms”, and added in his view it is “cynical and morally corrupt”.

Salisbury Journal:

Neil J. Adam, Wiltshire Council Assistant County Archaeologist, recommends the plans are rejected.

In his opinion, the significance of the proposed site has yet to be fully established and "could well be greater than simply of local value".

Likewise, he says, "any as-yet unidentified archaeological features within the site, not detected by the geophysics, could also be of regional or greater importance and considering the known archaeological assets already recorded on the downs to the east, this is not an unreasonable suggestion".

Elizabeth Bratley, who lives on Duck Lane. also strongly opposes the plans.

In her representation letter, she says: "Laverstock is a small village and there is no need under the local plan for estates in such areas."

She says it would worsen the "chaotic traffic and parking issues" that already exist, as well as the "already substantial pollution problems".

Gill Cleary, who lives in Whitebridge Road, says she "cannot believe that the application is even being considered", adding: "The traffic issue and pollution alone should be enough to prevent this ridiculous plan to ever be considered."

Illustrative Masterplan. Picture from Hallam Land Management

Illustrative Masterplan. Picture from Hallam Land Management

'A good opportunity'

Of the 127 representation letters on the Wiltshire Council website so far, just one offers any support for the proposals.

Wybren den Breejen, who lives in Bishopdown, says it "appears to be a good opportunity to continue to provide housing", but adds that planning permission should be granted "on the basis of good quality new builds, akin to the development of Oakfield at Swindon".

They say poor quality cheaply built new houses "undermines the value both to the prospective community and to Laverstock in general".

There have been some responses to Journal stories - such as from Steve Mitchell on Twitter - that objections to the plans are "Nimbyism at it’s best".

Nimby is an acronym for the phrase "not in my back yard", a person who objects to the siting of something perceived as unpleasant or hazardous in the area where they live, while raising no such objections to similar developments elsewhere.

On Facebook, Donna Roper said: "No matter where homes are built they’ll always be objections from local residents and their parishes.

"Unfortunately we are in desperate need of housing all over Salisbury and Wiltshire.

"Lets face it, the traffic is horrific wherever you go in this area.

"The school traffic always gets the main blame but even in the holidays, Laverstock is used as a rat run through into town or to access Southampton Road."

Hallam Land Management has been approached for comment on several occasions, without a reply.

At a public meeting on the plans the developer said they would bring jobs and much needed homes.

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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