(With Late News below) The Crown Estate is considering the options for developing 220 new homes on its land to the west of the Salisbury Road opposite Tesco and will hold a two-day exhibition of its proposals next month.
In a statement the Crown Estate, which is an independent commercial business established by Act of Parliament, said: “The plans will also include affordable housing and the possibility of a new hotel for the town.”
This land has been put forward by Transition Marlborough as the site for a new railway station for Marlborough if the town can be re-connected to the rail network at Bedwyn. LATE NEWS: Transition Marlborough are meeting a consultant from the Crown Agents within the next two weeks to discuss reserving land at this site for a future railway station.
The Crown Estate has clarified their position as regards a railway station on this site: “The Crown Estate is not and never has been looking to the provision of a railway station at this site which is allocated in the draft local plan for providing new housing. During the course of forthcoming consultation on our proposals feedback from all interested parties is invited and this includes Transition Marlborough with whom a meeting is being arranged.”
This site was held out of the sale in March last year of 8,700 acres of Crown Estate farmland and houses to the south east of Marlborough. Known by the Crown Estate as their Savernake Estate, the land was bought by H&M owner Stefan Persson for his Luxembourg based Ramsbury Estates.
The Crown Estate’s Strategic Land Manager, Steve Melligan said in the statement: “Over a number of years we have been exploring the potential for development on this site which would help the area to meet its future housing requirements.”
“Previous discussions with Marlborough Town Council, Savernake Parish Council, Wiltshire Council and other local organisations have helped to inform our thoughts and I look forward to hearing more views from local representatives and residents as we progress our consultation programme. “
“With Wiltshire Council’s Draft Core Strategy confirming the suitability of the Salisbury Road site as a location for new housing, we think it’s now timely to begin consulting more widely in advance of submitting a planning application.”
It is not clear whether Wiltshire Council can consider planning permission for this site until it’s Core Strategy is signed off by the Planning Inspector. No date has been set for the completion of the Inspector’s report. The inclusion of a hotel is not mentioned in the Draft Core Strategy and would mean some reduction in the number of homes that could be built on the site.
There are further hearings on the Strategy due to begin in Trowbridge on September 30. These will look at whether Wiltshire Council’s Housing Land Supply Statement is consistent with national policy. It will also consider whether 900 homes permitted west of Swindon should count as part of the requirement for Wiltshire to build 42,000 new homes by 2026.
As part of the consultation process The Crown Estate recently provided Marlborough Town Council and Savernake Parish Council with an up-date and outline of the ideas which will be presented in more detail at a public exhibition in October.
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