Agenda item

A report by the Associate Director, Economy & Planning is attached.

The following people spoke against the proposal

Mr Jeremy Stadward, a local resident

Mr Tony Nicklin, Chairman, Neighbourhood Plan Working Group

Mrs Tracy Clifford, representing ABC Action Group & a local resident

The following people spoke in support of the proposal

Mr Dennis Barry of GL Hearn – Property Consultants, representing Persimmon and Hannick Homes.

Ms Jenny Mitter of Nathaniel Lichfield & Partners, representing Redrow Homes.

Consideration was given to a report by the Associate Director, Economic Development & Planning requesting the Committee to endorse the draft West Warminster Urban Extension masterplan (WWUE) and to authorise the Associate Director for Economic Development & Planning, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning, Development Management, Strategic Housing, Property & Waste, to make any further necessary minor changes in the interest of clarity and accuracy.

It was noted that, at its meeting on 13 April 2016, this Committee had given consideration to adopting this masterplan but during discussion Members had considered that there appeared to be some confusion on the number of houses which should be included in this masterplan. They also requested further detailed information about potential flooding, landscaping, traffic management particularly of West Street and the sighting of the proposed new primary school and had resolved as follows:-

“To defer consideration of the draft West Warminster Urban Extension masterplan and to request the officers:

(1)          to look into how this could be brought into greater conformity with the Wiltshire Core Strategy, and

(2)          to examine further the issues regarding potential flooding, landscaping, traffic management particularly affecting West Street and the position of the new primary school.”

The Associate Director made a presentation in which he explained that the Wiltshire Core Strategy supported the delivery of 900 homes and six hectares of employment land on this site until 2026.  Following a detailed site investigation and an extensive consultation process which included an examination in public, the WWUE site had been identified as the most sustainable location for growth in Warminster. He further explained that the purpose of a masterplan was to manage the development of sites as identified in the Core Strategy. Once endorsed, it provided a template to ensure that developers worked within the framework as set by the Core Strategy.  It was pointed out that although the Core Strategy had identified this site as suitable for the provision of 900 houses until 2026, the site was large enough to accommodate 1550 homes substantiated by detailed robust modelling work. As reported at the April meeting, Members were informed that the intention of the masterplan was that development of the site would extend beyond the Core Strategy plan period to 2026 with estimates showing that 893 dwellings would be delivered between 2016 and 2026, with the remaining figure to be delivered over the following years to 2033.

Following on from the meeting on 13 April 2016, Members were informed that further work had been undertaken to examine the issues regarding potential flood risk, landscape mitigation and traffic management particularly affecting West Street and Bath Road and the position of the new through school and this was set out in paragraph 11 of the accompanying report.

Members then had the opportunity to ask technical questions after which they received statements from members of the public as detailed above, expressing their views regarding the proposal.

Members then heard the views of Cllr Pip Ridout, the local Member, who, whilst not supportive of so many dwellings being planned for this are of Warminster, nevertheless recognised the need for a masterplan and accordingly reluctantly supported the approval of the WWUE. 

Cllr Ridout also drew attention to the traffic assessment and was disappointed that it did not include either West Street or Bath Road, both of which she considered required some attention whilst recognising that West Street was narrow and incapable of being widened. The Council’s Traffic Engineer, who was present at the meeting, recognised that West Street was a traffic pinch point and these constraints had been taken into account in the traffic modelling along with safety audits and traffic generation projections.  As far as possible highway mitigation was concerned, the Traffic Engineer informed Members that one option available to the Council to improve matters could be the introduction of a 20mph zone along West Street.

After some discussion,

Resolved:

(i)        To endorse the draft WWUE masterplan as a significant material consideration, subject to the recommended changes set out in paragraph 11 of the report.

(ii)       To authorise the Associate Director for Economic Development and Planning, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning, Development Management, Strategic Housing, Property and Waste, to make any further necessary changes in the interest of clarity and accuracy.  This will include confirmation of drainage and modelling as set out in paragraph 12 of the report.

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