Plans for 60 new homes outside Swindon have been refused by Wiltshire Council after it received 250 letters of objection from residents.

The outline planning application was originally submitted to the council in February 2022 and proposed a housing development on agricultural land at South Pavenhill Farm in Purton.

The plans were sent on behalf of Castlewood Properties Ventures and showed that the 5.1-hectare site lies to the west of the Purton village boundary.

The application stated: “The mixture of homes (terraces, apartments, semi-detached and detached houses) and tenures will facilitate the development of a mixed community and will provide new homes for a broad spectrum of people in different age groups and on a range of incomes.”

40 per cent of the dwellings were due to be affordable homes.

The design statement described the project as an “exciting new development for Purton that is sustainable, well-integrated and a natural expansion to the village and its surrounding environment.”

It said: “The proposed development concept creates an intensive green strip to the west providing a new village boundary edge.

“Development has been set back from Pavenhill; strengthening the existing vegetation and creating a landscape entrance gateway.

“A large area free of development and offered as open space was considered appropriate, in the south beyond the current village boundary.”

Purton Parish Council objected to the application and said: “The identified requirement for housing in the community area has already been exceeded.”

It also noted that the site lies outside the village limit of development and that the proposal failed to “constitute and secure sustainable development", as required under National Planning Policy Framework.

250 letters of objection were received, commenting on issues such as overdevelopment, highways safety and loss of wildlife.

One of the most recent letters commented: “Inadequate access roads for the extra traffic generated.

"Pavenhill is a narrow and blind road in both directions with no footpath and residential properties fronting this road.

“Ringsbury is already a congested area with parked cars and blind corners in a residential area.

“Walking routes are unsuitable due to lack of street lighting in some areas.

“Local services such as doctors and dentists are already at breaking point with extreme difficulty getting an appointment.”

The case officer report concluded: “The proposed development is considered contrary to the adopted Development Plan housing delivery strategy in that it involves a parcel of land designated as open countryside and is outside of the defined settlement boundary for the large village of Purton.”