Marlborough Area Neighbourhood Plan – we’ve seen and had ours approved, now see if Wiltshire’s Local Plan is different……

Wiltshire Council’s own ‘Local Plan’ has been drawn up and is now ‘under consultation’ – i.e. we can view it and comment on it via an online process.

But on Monday next week – 09 October – we will be able to discuss the plan – in person with Planning Officers – at the Library between 3 and 7pm.

People can just turn up, no need to book. It’s not short, and can be accessed online by clicking here.

It appears there are apparent differences between what the Marlborough team created, after many years of detailed discussion, consideration and consultation – and which was approved by a referendum across the Marlborough community in March of this year – and what Wiltshire Council are proposing.

Housing is one such area: Simon Mills, chair of the Preshute Parish Council commented: “The recent Marlborough Area Neighbourhood Plan proposed and was approved by the local community, for 65 houses to be built. The current proposals are for 600 homes to be built! This includes a large development outside the Marlborough Settlement Boundary, in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and in the parish of Preshute.”

Wiltshire Council describe their Local Plan thus: ‘A Local Plan sets out a vision and a framework for the future development of an area. It is drawn up by a Local Planning Authority in consultation with its community, providing a platform for local people to shape their future surroundings. It will look at, and define, how development includinghousing, business construction and infrastructure (roads and facilities, for example) can best benefit the area a council is responsible for.’

It’s not for us (Marlborough.news) to disseminate, interpret the Wiltshire Local Plan and to comment but it is for the residents of Marlborough to see, understand what is proposed and make up their own minds. Click the link above to get access to this area on the Wiltshire Council website, and / or visit the Marlborough Library on Monday, 09 October between 3 and 7pm to ask the Planning team. To access the Wiltshire Council ‘Consultation Portal’, click here.