A DECISION on whether a developer can build 135 new homes on a busy road is expected soon. 

It comes after Wiltshire Council received "a significant new batch" of reports. 

Plans for 135 homes on Church Road, Laverstock, below Cockey Down, were first submitted in 2021. 

If approved there would also be "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 the 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. 

Among the new reports is a revised covering letter submitted on behalf of the applicants. 

This includes an Archaeological Evaluation Report, which says that although part of a wider area of "pre-historic activity and small artefacts" found, the site is not part of a settlement focus.

"Late Iron Age/Roman activity is of fairly low intensity with little material being present suggesting the site is not a domestic or settlement focus but agricultural hinterland", it says.

"The Evaluation does not suggest that the historic activity and archaeological finds on the site would be a reason precluding the granting of planning permission for the proposed development".

A Recreation Study Report has also been provided which includes details of a visitor survey undertaken at the Cockey Down Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) where there is only "an average of 19 visitors per day".

The letter reads: "This is not a significant number of visitors and the estimated increase of three visitors per day associated with the proposed development is not a material change."

The applicants are willing to provide a financial contribution towards information boards, signage and dog bins to assist with the management of the SSSI, and they say such a financial contribution would be "proportionate to the estimated increase in the number of visitors and would only be paid (via the Council) to the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust (as part owners of the SSSI) where specific schemes are proposed".

Laverstock and Ford Parish Council has previously made its objections to the plans known. 

In February 2021 it 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".

It said that those issues reflected "the very strong opposition to the development from across the community".

Chairman of the parish council Nick Baker has told the Journal that these new documents indicate that it is likely the applicants will be seeking a determination by Wiltshire Council soon.

There is a further, short consultation period which ends on May 16 before the Parish Council decides its response to these additional documents at its meeting on May 15.

Mr Baker added: "This is part of our annual meeting at Riverbourne Community Farm to which all members of the community are invited. While we always look at all revised applications with an open mind, it is worth noting that the Parish Council strongly objected to the original application and since then the Laverstock and Ford Neighbourhood Plan which has several policies which appear to conflict with this development has been passed by a local referendum and become a significant factor in local planning decisions."

You can view the plans here.