Plans for up to 200 new homes in Devizes have been approved despite fierce local opposition.  

The proposal for land by the Kennet and Avon Canal, off Coate Road was approved by a government inspector on May 24 after the developers appealed against Wiltshire Council’s refusal of the plans on November 3 last year.

The application also includes room for shops, a hot food takeaway, a ‘commercial business centre’ and a 'drinking establishment' but local residents and politicians objected.

Councillors who refused the application argued the proposed area was outside the development sites allocated in the Neighbourhood Plan and so should not be allowed.

However, a government inspector decided the benefits the new estate will bring, like affordable housing, will outweigh the impact on the landscape despite the site lying 125m from an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

The inspector overruled the refusal because the council does not have a five-year housing land supply.

This means it has not shown it will be able to provide enough sites for the development of the required number of houses over the next five years and so this development will help make up the housing shortfall.

The inspector added “the appeal site does not contain any rare or unusual landscape features and is ordinary and unremarkable agricultural land.”

The proposal will offer 30 per cent affordable housing as well as £500,000 towards funding works to the canal towpath to provide and improve accessibility for pedestrians and cyclists.

There will also be £152,000 towards an improved local walking and cycling route along Windsor Drive.

MP for Devizes Danny Kruger tweeted in response to the approval: “Wiltshire needs (and is building) a lot of new homes - we don't need ugly inappropriate imposed developments like this.

“Yesterday the application was approved despite objections by me, CPRE [Campaign to Protect Rural England], the town council and all. Why? Because of the arbitrary Five-Year Housing Land Supply rule.”

The plans from developers Robert Hitchins Ltd argue: “The proposals respect the local character but also move the community towards a more sustainable future, through an increase in housing choice.”

Originally the plan was for 235 homes, which would be a mixture of flats, terraced, semi-detached and detached alongside parking but this was rejected by Wiltshire Council.

The developers were approached for comment.