Ernie Clark. Hilperton Division, Wiltshire Council.

Resounding "No" to change of use for agricultural land.
Semington parish council has objected to the application by a family of gypsies to live on a patch of ground next to the crematorium. This means the application must now go to the WWDC planning committee, unless council officers refuse it. If it does go to committee the date will be notified on my web site.

Reasons for the objection were:

The application was retrospective and the planning application form included incorrect information.

A biological assessment is needed. There could be impacts on the balancing pond, newts and badgers.

Although screening for the site would be necessary the current fence was ugly and partly erected on third party land.

A recent south-west government assessment said only one pitch was needed in West Wiltshire, not the three applied for.

The application referred to parking for six cars, but the site currently has a large number of vans and trucks parked on it.

Proximity to the crematorium makes the site unsuitable for residential use.

This is an inappropriate development outside village policy limit.

The access onto the site from the A361 creates a highway danger.

The meeting was attended by about 100 Semington residents as well as representatives of the gypsies, though regrettably no-one from WWDC planning department accepted the invitation to attend.