The Crown Estate’s campaign seeking the views of local residents on its plans for the development of land it owns west of the Salisbury Road opposite the Tesco store and the Business Park, is gathering pace. The development would include up to 220 new homes and – possibly – a hotel.
They have posted 3,800 four page flyers to ‘local householders’ and are mounting an exhibition of the plans at the Town Hall on Sunday, October 12 (11.00am to 4.00pm) and Monday, October 13 (3.00pm to 8.00pm.) Alternatively, people can, from October 12, view the plans on the project’s website.
Two different options have been prepared for consultation. Option A is a ten hectare scheme providing up to 180 new homes, including affordable housing. This is 40 houses below the 220 identified for this development in Wiltshire Council’s draft Core Strategy. The Crown Estate comments: “Additional housing sites could need to be found for Marlborough.”
Option B is a 14 hectare scheme providing up to 220 new homes. The scheme for 220 homes would allow for the inclusion of a new hotel, as well as more affordable homes.
It will only become apparent when plans are exhibited whether this larger scheme will place houses further up the hill to the south of the site – and houses will therefore become visible from the north of the town.
Both options would also provide a school drop off point for St John’s school, new walking and cycle connections to the town centre and a significant amount of green open space.
Announcing this consultation, the Crown Estate’s strategic land manager, Steve Melligan, said: “Over a number of years we have thought carefully about how we can bring forward our land for development, producing two options which will help Marlborough meet its future housing needs and deliver a range of benefits including affordable housing, green spaces and improved walking and cycling routes.”
“The larger scheme we are consulting on would also make it possible to include a new hotel within the plans which would support tourism and business locally. We are looking forward to discussing our ideas with local residents and welcome their input as we look to develop our proposals further.”