We live in an agricultural area, farming and agricultural produce is vital and important to where we live. That produce needs to be stored and managed, somewhere – but is high on Manton Downs the right location for a massive store which, with its concrete apron and access road would dwarf many a football pitch and reached via a narrow and partially residential lane with no passing places for cars to avoid the stream of HGVs servicing the centre?
Click here to see the Preshute Parish Council objection. A multi-page ‘.pdf’ file that details all reasons that support their objections. It can be viewed or downloaded.
That’s a good question. And not in any way ‘NIMBY’. Just practical, as there are many other places that could more easily and safely take such a monumental construction. And this is what many of the residents of Manton and Marlborough are asking, as are both the local councils (Marlborough and Preshute).
It’s big. It’s also remote, which creates the issues of access. The designated site is off the A4 at Manton, reached by driving up Downs Lane, to the Gravel Hill car parking area, and then up a small track to a location that ‘skylines’ on the top of the Downs, dominating the area for miles around.
The application – PL/2024/01824 – can be viewed here. So far there are many objections, and likely this number could increase over the next few weeks as people in the area and beyond become aware of what is being proposed.
The ‘Design & Access Statement’ states that the site offers ‘easy access to the A4 away from residential areas’. Downs Lane, apart from being a very narrow lane with minimal passing places for cars, let alone HGV traffic has quite a number of houses on it. And also has the Manton Hollow development leading off it as well – ‘away from residential areas’?
The junction of Down Lane with the A4 is narrow, and difficult enough for vans going in or venturing out on to the A4, let alone large HGVs that will be servicing this site regularly, or certainly during the construction phase. That section of the A4 is regarded already as ‘hazardous’, and there is even a plan underway to make it safer – for current type and volume of traffic, and this was recognised and addressed decided long before this plan was conceived.
At the Planning Committee meeting of Marlborough Town Council on Monday evening (18 March) Members voted unanimously to write a letter of strong objection to this proposal, again, not because of what it is, rather because the siting isn’t right for all of the practical considerations.
The Manton Residents Association note in their objection: ‘Application is in conflict with the National Planning Policy Framework, being development in a greenfield AONB area. It is outside the terms of the Preshute and Marlborough Area Neighbourhood Plans. The area is significant in terms of archaeological and biodiversity interest.’ They go on to add that: ‘No details are given for the supply of water, waste and other utilities’. What will power this? Gas? Electricity? Or a combination of both, and how will these be delivered?
There is no argument about the need for such a facility, in this area, but it’s the choice of location and the practical, environmental and historic aspects that raise the concerns.
North-South traffic chaos raised by MP Danny Kruger in The House
