Hilperton group raise fears over Wiltshire's Local Plan

Celia Beckett has spoken out on behalf of the Hilperton group to raise concerns over Wiltshire Council’s draft of the local plan, claiming it would “spoil” the “very environment that is special” about the village.

One of the main issues the group has put to the council is the protection of the “exceptionally rare” bats that use the area as a migration corridor.

The plan proposes that 4,420 homes and 27.4 ha of employment land should be provided in Trowbridge by 2038, including development near Elizabeth Way and north-east of Hilperton.

Contractors working on the Bellway Homes Weavers Meadow housing development. (Image: Trevor Porter)

More than 10,000 comments were made on the county-wide Local Plan and Wiltshire Council has delayed its submission to the Secretary of State in order to consider all of the views prior to its examination.

The draft notes that “sensitive development growth can be accommodated and bat species protected” and that it “would balance the need to accommodate additional growth at the town with the need to respect, as far as is reasonably practicable, the individual identities of the villages of Hilperton, North Bradley, Southwick and West Ashton”.

However, Ms Beckett said: “Even if the Local Plan was agreed as it stands, we would still be arguing that they have got to put a lot more buffer zones, they’ve got to protect this area.”

She has argued that the development that has commenced alongside Elizabeth Way provides “inadequate mitigation for the bat species in terms of the density of the development”.

Ms Beckett claims that Cllr Nick Botterill, cabinet member for strategic planning, has dismissed her concerns about the mitigation being “purely financial” and that the Local Plan consultation was “appalling.”

According to Ms Beckett, the Hilperton Area Action Group has also raised worries about the “huge problems” of flooding, traffic, and lack of services in the area.

She said: “It’s not that we’re against development per say, but it has got to be in the right place, it has got to be sustainable.”

She concluded: “For this community, we see it as the end of our community.

“We’re really very, very concerned.”

The leader of Wiltshire Council, Richard Clewer, said: “Prior to the Local Plan being drafted, an assessment of the local infrastructure, including transport, education, health and social care and utilities in Trowbridge, was completed and this evidence has helped to inform the policies in the final draft.

“Draft Local Plan Policy 88 (biodiversity and geodiversity) sets out how development proposals must demonstrate how they protect features of nature conservation value and minimise negative impacts on biodiversity.

"This includes ensuring all development proposals incorporate appropriate measures to avoid and reduce disturbance of sensitive wildlife species, such as bats, and their habitats throughout the lifetime of the development.

"The same policy also specifies that all development proposals should include the provision of integrated bat roosting features.

Cllr Clewer added: "To ensure as many people as possible could take part in the Local Plan Regulation 19 consultation, we held 16 in-person engagement events around the county and an online event.

"Given that we have had more than 10,000 representations from our communities, businesses, planning agents and other respondents, we would strongly refute the unfounded claim that the consultation was ‘appalling’.”

According to the council, the draft Local Plan is supported by a draft Habitats Regulations Assessment which has fully considered the potential for effects on European sites, including the Bath and Bradford on Avon Bats Special Area of Conservation.