The bitterly opposed planning application appeal for 350 new houses at Coate Bridge on the edge of Devizes should be decided by ministers. That was Claire Perry MP’s message when she met Eric Pickles MP (Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.)
The site of this development lies south of the Kennet and Avon canal. A development was approved by Wiltshire Council last month for 230 houses at Lay Wood on Crown Estate land. This site is also on the north-east edge of the town, but just north of the canal.
After the meeting Mrs Perry said: “While I am a strong supporter of building badly-needed new homes, the current proposal for hundreds of houses on the Coate Bridge site in Devizes is not sound and is an attempt to drive a bulldozer through the carefully prepared Local Plan for Devizes while it is in the approval stage.”
The row has developed because the town’s Neighbourhood Plan was not considered to be far enough advanced to count in the decision making process.
“Normally I think planning decisions should be made locally but in this case there is a clear need for Ministers to get involved so that the guidance of the local plan can be reaffirmed. “
The Lay Wood development will bring Wiltshire Council £2 million from the government’s ‘new homes bonus’ fund.
