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Wiltshire Council news from Ernie Clark.
As the planning application for housing in the Hilperton Gap will be going to a WC planning committee, it is still possible to submit comments if you wish. The planning reference at Wiltshire Council is 16/00672 and your comments will have to be sent by letter or email as the ‘comment’ facility on the web site is no longer available.
The five year land supply issue is attracting more questionable planning applications from landowners hoping to cash-in by building outside the agreed settlement boundaries for the area.
An outline application has been submitted for housing in the grounds of The Grange with access from Devizes Road. Interestingly, The Grange is not listed. The planning application reference is 16/01633.
In addition, Taylor Wimpey will shortly be applying to build 250 houses just outside the parish boundary along Ashton Road. The intention is to build on the right hand side as you leave Hilperton starting just after the brook and running all the way to Green Lane. Ironically, the new solar farm will be a little further along the road but on the left hand side.
The WC Western Area Planning Committee plumbed new depths, in my opinion, when, by a 5-4 vote, it permitted a ‘diesel farm’ just outside Broughton Gifford. This will comprise five huge diesel engines which will be run when the national grid is short of power due to the vagaries of solar and wind power and the closure of coal burning power stations. So, we close coal burning installations due to their CO2 footprint and replace them with CO2 emitting generators in the countryside. Is there any logic there? Am I missing something?