What are your neighbours up to? The following are planning applications, decisions and appeals from Wiltshire, recently:

21/01561/OUT: A planning appeal has been launched after Wiltshire Council rejected plans for four new apartments in Devizes. Clive Stanton of Long Lane in Bexley Heath had bid to redevelop the lock-up garages at Garage Court at the back of 121-125 Brickley Lane.

It was proposed that Mr Stanton would transform the garages into four apartments with on-site car parking spaces. The council gave three principal reasons for rejecting the application, the first being that the two-storey proposal would lead to a “cramped and contrived” development.

Planning officers continued: “The development in close proximity to the adjoining area of public open space would sterilise an area of the space from public use and enjoyment, thereby being detrimental to the Green Infrastructure network of the area.

“The development would not provide for an appropriate level of amenity for the occupants of the flats, due to lack of private outdoor amenity space, proximity to the public open space and lack of defensible space adjacent to living areas. In this respect the development fails to demonstrate a high quality of design.”

Those who wish to comment on the planning appeal must contact the planning inspectorate (APP/Y3940/W/21/3279359) by Tuesday, November 23.

PL/2021/08120: Plans to convert and extend a stable block for use as holiday accommodation in the north of the county have been rejected.

Mr and Mrs Mabbett of Fosburys Field, Crowood Lane in Ramsbury applied to the council to convert stables on their land into tourist accommodation.

In rejecting the bid, planning officers said the plans would detract from the rural character of the surrounding landscape.

Officers added: “Due to the distance to local services, facilities and amenities, occupants of a dwelling on the site would likely be heavily reliant on the use of private motor transport for the majority of day to day activities, contrary to the principles of sustainable development and the aims of reducing the need to travel, contrary to Wiltshire Core Strategy Core Policy 60 and Core Policy 61.”

PL/2021/07746: The installation of a mobile home as a residential property has been blocked. Mr and Mrs Farendon of The Stables, Bramley Hill in Mere wanted to site a mobile home at their property for accommodation in excess of the house already there.

Planning officers, who turned down the plans said: “The application site is within the curtilage of a dwellinghouse of traditional appearance located in a residential area of Mere within the Mere Conservation Area.

“The approved and implemented alterations to the western boundary of the application site have seen the removal of boundary walling and the replacement of this walling with hedgerow that has produced and provides a degree of openness along this boundary of the site.

“As such, the design, appearance and location of the proposed mobile home within the small rear courtyard of the application site with the proposed parking layout as shown following the implemented alterations would lead to a unduly cramped form of overdevelopment that is considered to be visually dominant and detrimentally harmful to the appearance of the dwellinghouse and streetscene, and therefore would fail to preserve and enhance the appearance of the Conservation Area.”

PL/2021/07348: A bid to build multiple extensions to a Pewsey house has been given the go-ahead.

Mr and Mrs Crow of Hill View on Salisbury road have won planning permission for extension plans at their home. The couple will now be allowed to build single and two-storey extensions to their property, as well as making external alterations.

PL/2021/07810: Wiltshire Council has refused to grant planning permission for a change in use to allow for two parking spaces at an annexe and for it to be recognised as a self-contained home in Bedwyn Common.

Mrs Thompson put in a change of use bid to allow for the provision of two car parking spaces at 1 Bedwyn Common.

Planning officers knocked the plans into the long grass. They said: “The site is located outside recognised Limits of Development where the development of a new independent dwelling would be contrary to the Spatial Vision for the sustainable development of Wiltshire.”

Officers added that because of the location’s distance from local shops and amenities that it would not be considered a sustainable development.