Yes, another planning inquiry.
This time it is for Bradley’s Meadow (in a far corner of this parish). At a previous planning inquiry, the planning inspector said categorically that the meadow should remain untouched due to its conservation status (a special sort of calcareous grassland). Wainhomes has decided otherwise and put in a planning application for 50 houses. You will remember that these are the people who tried unsuccessfully towards the end of last year to build 50 houses at Widham Farm. On that occasion we were successful in presenting arguments to the planning inspector who ruled in our favour.
We do need houses of course but they should be in the right place in our parish (see Transforming Purton Parish Foresight & Resilience 2013 for the better options whilst recognising that nowhere is perfect) and certainly not on land of national conservation status such as Bradley’s Meadow. Wiltshire Council has refused this application already so we will be on the same side in this effort.
Wainhomes has tried to offer a biodiversity offset to counter the problem of building on national sites of conservation importance but it is heavily flawed. Wiltshire Council will be fighting this hard and need our support. I will be present to argue a scientific case against biodiversity offsetting.
The Inquiry is on Wednesday 12 March at 10 am at Chippenham. If you have time to write a quick email please do citing: Planning Inspectorate: Ref 2206539: Land at Moredon Bridge, Purton Road and marking for the attention of the inspector at teamp16@pins.gsi.gov.uk. Key talking points (in your own words) are:
1. Nearby the site, nearly 2400 new homes (700 at Ridgeway Farm and nearly 1700 at Tadpole Farm) are already planned and in progress;
2. Neither the emerging Wiltshire Core Strategy nor the Swindon Core Strategy call for any more houses in this location;
3. A few months ago the Planning Inspector stated, unequivocally, that North Wiltshire had more than the required housing land supply; and
4. Biodiversity offsetting is an unproven technique that is still undergoing trials and consultation by Defra, and so far with lacklustre results.
Remember, if Wainhomes wins this they are likely to be back for more ~ Widham Farm…
