Next phase of Chippenham housing scheme raises flood fears

Wiltshire Councillors on the Northern Area Planning Committee will debate plans for phase six of the Hunters Moon development in Chippenham, on Wednesday, August 21.

The proposal put forward by Bloor Homes South West would see an additional 56 homes and associated infrastructure built at the development, which has planning permission to grow to as many as 450 dwellings.

The latest site to be developed as part of the project is an open field to the southeast of Easton Lane, near the A350.

Bloor Homes originally applied for full planning permission in September 2022, but the plans have since been revised multiple times and were called in for debate by Councillor Peter Hutton.

Cllr Hutton referred the application to allow the committee to consider concerns over the impact on neighbouring properties, which have previously experienced flooding.

READ MORE: Flooding nightmare for 'panicked' street on new housing estate

Flooding on the nearby estate (Image: Public contribution)

Houses on Ferguson Close, a part of the housing estate that would border the planned homes, narrowly avoided significant flooding during Storm Henk in January.

At the time, a resident said she and her neighbours battled the flood for hours, including blockading their properties.

Many in the community remain concerned about the proposed drainage plan for the next batch of houses and the “negative impact” this could have on their properties.

There are also fears that the noise from the nearby A350 could be a nuisance for those living in the new builds.

But the council’s drainage engineer has reviewed all the submitted documents and raised no objections to the proposal.

Officers have recommended that the committee approves the application, subject to noise mitigation measures.

Flooding on the nearby estate (Image: Public contribution)

Following the flooding near Hilltop Park earlier this year, Bloor Homes said it had taken action to support residents.

At the time, a spokesperson added: “As a responsible developer we are taking every action to assist residents affected by flooding which occurred last week after the unprecedented levels of rainfall in the local area.

“We are very responsive to, and supportive of all our homeowners and immediately requested a meeting at the Hilltop Park development with local councillors to discuss what is happening on our development because of the flooded surrounding areas, including the A350 highway.

“We have already contacted all the residents in the vicinity of the flooding at Hilltop Park and will continue to keep them informed as our investigations progress.”