More than 20 Rabley Wood rebels stormed last night’s (Monday) meeting of Marlborough Town Council’s planning committee with the result that the meeting was moved into the main court room at the town hall to accommodate them all.
They applauded their spokeswoman Jayne Baker after she outlined their overwhelming objections to the wealthy Sangster family plans to build 46 houses on their recreation ground and offering a water meadow Nature Park as compensation.
And they discovered that many town councillors supported their protests on vital issues such as traffic and parking, inadequate sewers, contaminated land, alternative play provision and the impact on over-crowded local schools and local medical provision.
The committee decided to delay making a decision on the outline planning application until it has further information from Wiltshire Council’s environmental team, in particular traffic and contaminated and reports plus an assessment of the like for like land swop offered by the sons of the late millionaire Robert Sangster.
“As an objector I might say this scheme has so many fundamental flaws that it ought to be scrapped,” Mrs Baker told Marlborough News Online. “But I am always very cautious and try to see what those on the other side have to say and understand the need for new housing.
“This particular project does seem to be a bit ridiculous. As one councillor said, the traffic alone is a really big problem because the whole of our estate is just one glorified cul-de-sac. Apart from the extra, on-going traffic, how are you going to get all these big lorries down a narrow road to build these houses during the construction phase? It is quite horrendous to contemplate really.”
She added: “I was delighted with the support of the town councillors who agreed with many of the issues we raised. The creation of a Nature Park and the like for like compensation they are offering is one of them.
“What the Manton Estate is proposing is not only this new kick-about area for our children on the water meadow. Whichever way they act they are going to do some damage to the water meadow by draining it – or even building it up — and the Environmental Agency will no doubt have something to say about that.”
The protest group has sent photographs and a video to all town councillors revealing how unsuitable the water meadow is as a play area.
“It is on a flood plain and is waterlogged for months at a time,” Mrs Baker told councillors. “This land is a sponge, which takes care of overflows of water from the River Og and protects Marlborough from damaging flooding further downstream.”
Councillor Margaret Rose, vice chairman of planning committee, said: “There is so much we are waiting for that councillors may feel that we do not have accurate information on which to base a decision and that we ought to defer it until the next planning committee meeting on March 24.”
They agreed.
The Mayor, Councillor Guy Loosmore, told colleagues the council was facing a complex issue and added: “The quality of the like for like replacement of facilities is the main issue. And in regard to that there are no specific answers yet coming from Wiltshire.”
Several councillors pointed out that the effect on Marlborough’s infrastructure by additional housing was not considered a planning issue. However, Councillor Peggy Dow suggested there should be an open public meeting to discuss these vital issues affecting the whole town.
Councillor Richard Allen declared: “We are going to have to accept some housing somewhere in the community. That is inevitable. Where the houses should go is the question, not whether we have enough school places and doctors.
“This site is a glorified cul de sac. So the traffic issue is going to get worse, not better. There is no other way out on to the main road. So I suggest that is an argument worth supporting.”
Councillor Mervyn Hall also raised the question of whether the Town Council was willing to accept the gift of the new Nature Park and be able to maintain it.
Town Clerk Shelley Parker responded: “I understand the developers are re-thinking how they would like the area to be re-adopted. It may well involve a change of use application. It may not get to the stage where we will be invited to maintain the park.”
And in her statement to councillors, Mrs Baker also referred to the ongoing cost of the Nature Park and declared: “We have heard that a figure of approximately £500,000 has been suggested as a commutable sum, but, of course, the Manton Estate will dispute this calculation.
“The sum should cover at least 20 years’ maintenance costs – £25,000 per year. But would this be enough with inflation taken into consideration?”
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