Local News · Corsham
Corsham couple fighting to save family home from demolition order
By Swindon Now Editorial Team · Published
A couple in Corsham are challenging an enforcement notice from Wiltshire Council that requires them to demolish their family home due to planning breaches.
A couple living in Kingdown, near Corsham, are currently appealing a decision by Wiltshire Council to demolish their home. Pim and Sheree de Witte, who have lived at the Little Orchard property for over four years, were issued an enforcement notice requiring the building to be torn down by February of this year.
The dispute centres on the construction of the four-bedroom house, which was completed and occupied in 2022. While the couple received planning permission for a similar design in 2019, the final structure included an additional basement level and a decking area that were not included in the original approved plans. The homeowners contend that the basement was built for engineering purposes and provides essential residential accommodation for their disabled daughter, which they argue should be viewed as a material consideration in the planning process.
Wiltshire Council maintains that the property, which is situated on land designated as Green Belt, has not been built in accordance with the authorised plans. A retrospective planning application filed in 2024 to regularise the dwelling was rejected by the council. A subsequent attempt in 2025, which included proposals to seal off part of the basement and reduce the size of the decking area to mitigate the impact on the site, was also refused. The council stated that the proposed dwelling remained materially larger than the original structure it replaced and failed to demonstrate the special circumstances required to outweigh harm to the Green Belt.
The de Wittes have labelled the council's enforcement action as unnecessarily harsh and punitive. In their appeal to the Planning Inspectorate, they have maintained that the property is a replacement dwelling rather than a new build and that their initial planning permission was lawfully implemented. The appeal has effectively placed the council's demolition order on hold while the matter is assessed by an independent inspector.
As part of their ongoing efforts to resolve the matter, the couple have indicated they would be willing to reinstate the dwelling to its previously approved form should their appeal be unsuccessful. A final decision from the Planning Inspectorate is expected later in the autumn.
Source: Wiltshire Times — Corsham · View original