Ernie Clark. Hilperton Division, Wiltshire Council.

Does no one learn from past mistakes?

Wiltshire Council last night approved a planning application which duplicates many of the poor planning decisions which are causing problems for people living on Paxcroft Mead or at Staverton Marina.

Taylor Wimpey (Bristol) want to build 25 houses on the piece of land north of the cricket square, alongside the access road to The Mead Primary School.

When Paxcroft Mead was first mooted, the site was allocated for 'community use' (ironically as the public house site), but was taken back by the developers for housing despite the opposition of the local community. Outline planning permission was granted on appeal, and this application was for the details to be decided.

Hilperton Parish Council objected because of the impact on traffic at school times, inadequate parking within the development, and the preponderance of larger houses.

Trevor Carbin attended the meeting to speak on behalf of the parish council but, despite the cogent reasons for refusal which he and I put forward, the application was given permission by the committee.

Residents can therefore look forward to more parking problems and real fun at school-run times. The solution may well be to get double yellow lines for the stretch of road outside the houses.