Wiltshire Council has approved plans for the second phase of the West Warminster Urban Extension, which will see up to 1,000 homes built on the western outskirts of the town.

This second phase will involve the construction of 168 homes across four hectares to the west of Bath Road, on the north eastern corner of the development.

It will be accessed from a new roundabout which was permitted by the outline application, forming the beginning of a spine road which will run centrally through the entire development and connect with Phase 1 to the south-west of the site.

The layout and design of the homes has now been given the go-ahead and will reflect “a more dense part” of the project.

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Wiltshire Times: The application includes public open space past the wetland.

The decision was delayed from June 2023 due to concerns raised by Natural England as to whether the council’s adopted strategy for mitigating phosphates in the wider River Avon catchment was effective.

Persimmon Homes, the developer, reported that adjustments to the latest design account for on-site phosphate mitigation, including wastewater treatment works, floating treatment wetland, a sustainable urban drainage system, and agricultural set aside.

The new plans were approved by the Wiltshire Council Drainage Team and Natural England.

However, Warminster Town Council objected to the plans, due to issues such as “serious health concerns regarding the use of reed beds and safety concerns for children and vulnerable adults” and the density of housing being “too high”.

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Five other objections were received by Wiltshire Council, raising concerns over the new roundabout and the amount of parking space, as well as the potential impact on wildlife and the surface water drainage on adjoining land, particularly on the playing fields off Coldharbour Lane.

In the application, Persimmon Homes stated: “The development has been designed so that the scheme constitutes a sustainable extension to Warminster that helps meet the local housing need.”

The developer noted that benefits would include the provision of new market housing and affordable housing, contributions to infrastructure, and additions to trade and employment.

Wiltshire Council’s planning case officer concluded: “The reserved matters proposal for this first phase of residential development on land to the north of Victoria Road would not lead to substantive harmful neighbouring effects that would warrant further revisions or a refusal decision.”