Politics & Council · Devizes
Bishops Cannings set for name change after boundary dispute resolution
By Swindon Now Editorial Team · Published
A long-running boundary dispute between Bishops Cannings Parish Council and Devizes Town Council is set to conclude with a formal name change for the parish.
A Wiltshire parish that has been at the centre of a fierce boundary dispute is expected to be formally renamed as part of a move to settle its long-term future. Bishops Cannings Parish Council has confirmed plans to change its name to Bishops Cannings & Northfields, a decision intended to better reflect the make-up of the area and its residents.
The move follows a contentious Community Governance Review initiated by Wiltshire Council in January 2026. The review sought to determine whether existing parish boundaries remained appropriate for the communities they serve. At the heart of the disagreement was a proposal by Devizes Town Council to incorporate a significant portion of the northern edge of the town—currently managed by the rural parish—into the town council’s own jurisdiction.
The area in question includes the Northfields and Cannings Hill housing estates, alongside several key commercial and public sites including the Le Marchant Barracks, Devizes Marina, and major retail outlets like Lidl and B&Q. During the dispute, Devizes Town Council argued that these areas function as an urban extension of the town, with more than 2,000 residents who identify more closely with Devizes than the rural parish.
Bishops Cannings Parish Council, led by chairman and former Royal Navy Commodore Darren Bone, strongly resisted the proposal. The parish council maintained that the rural and urban components of their area formed an integrated community. Notably, six of the ten parish councillors reside within the disputed urban section, and the council argued that it had worked extensively to ensure all residents felt represented.
In March 2026, the Wiltshire Council Electoral Review Committee largely sided with the parish. Members voted 5-3 to reject the town council’s expansion bid, confirming that the semi-urban and rural land should remain within the parish. The committee went further in its recommendations, suggesting that an additional 200 homes at Lock Keeper Gardens be transferred into the parish, an outcome described by councillors as a significant reversal of the original proposal.
Following this, members of the committee unanimously agreed to the name change to Bishops Cannings & Northfields at a meeting this week. Councillor Darren Bone noted that the council has already prepared a new logo and website to coincide with the official change once ratified.
Committee members expressed support for the decision, noting the effort the parish council has made to bridge the gap between its differing areas. The change, along with a similar renaming for Ramsbury Parish Council to become Ramsbury & Axford, now awaits final ratification by the Full Council in March.
Source: Wiltshire Times · View original