Politics & Council · Devizes
Devizes housing estate proposal faces refusal over bat habitat concerns
By Swindon Now Editorial Team · Published
Wiltshire Council planning officers have recommended the refusal of a 175-home development in Devizes, citing a lack of information regarding protected bat species and ecological corridors.
A major proposal for 175 new homes on the edge of Devizes is set to be decided by local councillors next week, with planning officers currently recommending that the application be rejected.
Members of the Eastern Area Planning Committee are scheduled to meet on Thursday to determine the council's position on the development, which is earmarked for a 12-hectare site of farmland off Coate Road. The site has already become the subject of a planning appeal lodged by developer Robert Hitchins Ltd following the council's failure to reach a decision within the standard timeframe.
At the heart of the recommendation to refuse the plan are unresolved ecological concerns. Council planning officers have stated they cannot support the proposal while critical information regarding the impact on local wildlife remains outstanding. Specifically, the council's ecologist has raised formal objections due to a lack of recent data on bat activity. The site's report indicates that no comprehensive surveys have been completed since 2012, leaving the council unable to properly assess the effects of the development on dark ecological corridors essential for local bat populations.
Further clarification has been requested concerning how these habitats and watercourse features linked to the Kennet and Avon Canal will be protected from light pollution. While officers noted that other environmental issues, such as nutrient neutrality, potential impacts on the Hampshire Avon Special Area of Conservation, and the protection of badgers and breeding birds, have largely been addressed or narrowed, the remaining wildlife concerns remain a primary barrier to approval.
The proposal includes a mix of infrastructure and housing, with over 50 homes designated as affordable. The plans also outline new vehicle access points from both Coate Road and Windsor Drive, alongside walking and cycling routes, public open space, and landscaping improvements.
The development is part of a wider trend of expansion in the area. The site is situated near land where the same developer already holds planning permission for 200 homes. Furthermore, an additional application for 40 homes in the same vicinity, served by the same road network, is currently pending consideration.
Local residents and town councillors have voiced significant opposition during the consultation period. Concerns remain focused on the potential for increased traffic congestion at the already busy Windsor Drive junction with the A361 London Road. Objectors have also called for additional investment in local infrastructure, including GP surgeries and employment opportunities, to support the influx of residents from the expected 400 new households in the surrounding area. To date, 14 formal letters of objection have been lodged, citing pressures on services, loss of countryside, flood risks, and the site's location outside the established settlement boundary.
Source: Gazette & Herald — Devizes · View original