Residents were out in force on Monday’s (January 12) to oppose the new plans for housing on land owned by Wiltshire Council off Rabley Wood View. This was not a planning application, but agents for the Sangster family had asked Marlborough Town Council’s planning committee for an informal discussion to test opinion.
Councillors gave a resounding ‘no’ to the new plans. But they have agreed to see whether they can stop any future attempt to develop this play area in its tracks.
The land to be built on – currently an extensive play area – is owned by Wiltshire Council and the Sangster family wants to provide water meadows which are still part of their Manton Estate as replacement land. This land is distant from the houses and lies beside the River Og.
The town council’s planning committee suspended standing orders so they could hear a clear outline of the reasons for residents’ opposition after the original plans were turned down by the town council, two parish councils and Wiltshire Council’s own planning committee.
Speaking for the residents, Jayne Baker spelled out how the new plans fail to address the reasons given for the rejection of the original plans. She detailed concerns over safeguarding children playing on the new free play area as it would be out of view from present and from the new houses.
She also pointed out that after a live grenade was found on the water meadow it has been revealed that the area was used as a firing range during the Second World War.
Mrs Baker said the replacement land breached the stipulations of the National Planning Policy Framework and there were still environmental issues which had not been addressed.
Then she hit councillors in their pockets: who would pay for the long-term upkeep of the new play area? Would it be Marlborough ratepayers even though the housing would be outside Marlborough’s development limits.
One councillor remarked that “The villain of the piece is probably Wiltshire Council” – as they had agreed in principle to provide this land for housing. Councillor Peggy Dow won agreement for the council to begin the process to see whether the land could in future be owned by Marlborough Town Council through a community asset transfer from Wiltshire Council.
Afterwards, Jayne Baker told Marlborough News Online: “The residents group is delighted that the planning committee have agreed that this plan is still untenable and we can only hope that the Sangsters and their agents start listening to the very strong opinions of many local residents who know that this recreation ground will never be a suitable site for such a development.”
It remains to be seen whether having received these views from residents and councillors, the agents will appeal the rejection of planning consent by Wiltshire Council – the deadline for an appeal to be lodged is at the end of February.
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