Housing, Politics, Wiltshire Council……. When these all mix together, somehow it’s Marlborough that often seems to suffer. Wiltshire Council are instigating an ‘independent review’ that will look into housebuilder – Stone Circle Development Company – and Stone Circle Housing Company. The former is the Council’s own ‘in house’ Housing Association, and as such should be there to facilitate the necessary housing that the more ‘commercial’ developers would be less likely to provide. They should ba active in Marlborough……
Or so they were. Or so they had planned until very recently. We (marlborough.news) recently discovered that the development in Cherry Orchard, which would have provided ten ‘affordable’ housing units out of the proposed development of twenty four properties is not going ahead. The Company – Stone Circle – have decided to sell the site. No announcement was made, nor any local discussion in any Planning Committee meeting here.
This decision was made back in December (16th) at the ‘Cabinet – Shareholder Group’ meeting of the leading group, attended by Marlborough East Councillor Kym-Marie Cleasby. We picked this up from the minutes of that meeting (see section 39, sub-section 3) which were published as part of the agenda for the following meeting, held on 20 January.
This is politics. So far we don’t know the details behind this ‘review’, of what and of why. But it would appear – on the surface – to be a case of new regime (LibDem) v. old regime (Conservative) – even though the leaders of both groups (Ian Thorn – LibDem, Richard Clewer – Conservative) had previously been directors of Stone Circle companies.
So what is going to happen to this Cherry Orchard site? It’s a classic ‘brownfield’ site, currently desolate and surrounded by high fences. Once (a long time ago) it was the location of one of the old railway stations and sidings. Perfect for development, adjacent to St John’s, near to St Mary’s, the Business Park, Marleberg Grange and as such relatively central to the town.
When politics in Trowbridge rain, Marlborough and our community get wet. The recent rejection of the McCarthy & Stone proposal for the former Police Station in George Lane was possibly a step towards easing Marlborough’s housing issues, but where that is ultimately going we don’t know at this stage. Long way to go there.
But the divestment of Cherry Orchard by Wiltshire Council’s Stone circle is not a step in the right direction.
New Town Council Committee Created to Plan and Manage Promotional and Cultural Events
