A plan destined to “regenerate” Chippenham’s town centre has now been approved by Wiltshire Council’s cabinet.

The ‘One Plan for Chippenham’ is a strategy designed to boost the town’s economy, enhance its environment, and celebrate its heritage.

Wiltshire Council’s cabinet endorsed it at a meeting on Tuesday, October 8, with the council leader describing it as “entirely driven locally”.

One of the projects identified by the plan is the £15 million Chippenham Avon Project which will see a radial gate and weir replaced by smaller weirs.

READ MORE: Fishermen fear Chippenham Avon Project water level drop

The project will result in a lowering of the water level.The project will result in a lowering of the water level. (Image: Environment Agency) Some residents have expressed concern over the drop in water level this will cause, but local member Cllr Nic Puntis sought to reassure them.

He said: “It needs to be made much clearer that it is a main river, it will never be a trickle of water unless we have huge droughts across the country.

“So, it will always have a decent amount of flow and a decent amount of depth, albeit a lot lower than the depth that we have at the moment.

“One way that you can see this in operation is in Salisbury, the Salisbury project is an excellent example of taking a river and doing work to it to improve everything, environmentally as well as ecologically, as well as to enable people that live in the town to use it more.”  

SEE ALSO: Plans progress for 329 homes at Langley Park in Chippenham

He added: “I would say that reducing the depth of the levels in Chippenham is a positive thing, it means we can access the river.”

Cllr Adrian Foster disagreed, adding: “I can remember in the mid seventies being able to walk across that river, and again in the mid eighties being able to walk across that river, even with the radial gate, so without the radial gate there, the water levels will drop quite a bit.

“The biggest concern of the locals is the opportunity to implement the amenities they have at the present moment.”

He referred to paddleboarding and kayaking as examples.

Wiltshire Council’s leader Richard Clewer reminded attendees that the Environment Agency are “adamant” about the gate needing to be taken out, after the near catastrophic incident in 2023 when it became stuck.

Cllr Clewer said: “They are the organisation that is going to be leading this, we are trying to make sure that whatever work they are doing we are able to do something similar to the work that we have done in Salisbury, to not just deal with the flooding issue but enhance the river as a result, both from a biodiversity and from a public amenity point of view.”

Despite the cabinet backing, a full planning application will have to be approved by the council.