Longleat exhibition among Wiltshire Council planning applications

The designs show a huge archway flanked by giraffe models, dinosaurs and other animals, with the theme of the installation being “time”, to remember Longleat House being the first stately home to open to the public in 1949.

The case officer report notes that the planned increase in size for the lantern sculptures is “considered to be acceptable for this single year due to the special anniversary”. 

READ MORE: All the latest Wiltshire Council planning applications

Age of the Dinosaurs is set to be one of the 19 themed areas. (Image: Longleat) Historic England commented: “Whilst we acknowledge the desire to commemorate the anniversary this particular year, we would wish for subsequent years to see the 2023 parameter plan re-adopted, with a 2m height limit on installations immediately south of the House.”

Wiltshire Council published its approval of the plans on Thursday, October 24.

There will be 19 themed areas, from “ancient Egypt” to “Antarctic exploration”, and the centrepiece will be a projection shown at the front of the main house.

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he plans provide a map of the proposed areas. (Image: Longleat) The plans suggest that the Age of the Dinosaurs area will present model dinosaurs up to 9m tall.  

According to an application, the winter event has become an essential part of the park’s business plan, providing around 15 per cent of annual visitors.

Also approved this week, permission has been granted for the reconstruction of an Indian restaurant in Sherston, near Malmesbury, that was destroyed by a fire earlier this year.

The Bridge, formerly a pub known as the Carpenters Arms, was “gutted” after a fire occurred in April, tearing through the north-east end of the building.

One person was taken to hospital after suffering from smoke inhalation. (Image: Jane Milne) In total, 13 firefighters attended the emergency from seven stations and the Easton B4040 road was closed while the fire was tackled with four water jets.

A spokesperson for the restaurant described it as “traumatic” at the time, but they have now been given the go-ahead to repair the venue by Wiltshire Council.

The application stated: “Reinstatement will restore the building to its former appearance with matching materials used to refinish the aesthetics of the building externally.

“Works are to be expedited to ensure that further deterioration of the structure is minimised, as well as returning the streetscape to its former position and reinstating a public amenity.”

The case officer report concluded: “The proposals are considered to have no impact on neighbouring amenities when compared to the original building and an improvement to the semi-derelict building's current impacts.”

Finally, an amateur radio hobbyist has been successful in his bid for antennae at his home in Purton, a village outside Swindon.

He was seeking permission for three “amateur radio antennae”, despite objections from a handful of neighbours on Witts Lane.

He wrote: “The object of amateur radio is to communicate with other like-minded people across the world and even to the astronauts in orbit onboard the space station, we do not air political views or use profound language.”

One of his neighbours commented: “I wish to object to this planning application, as its unsightly and can been seen from every angle, I live a couple of doors away, I don’t want to have to look at these whilst sitting in my garden or see the proprietor constantly on his flat roof fiddling with them looking into our gardens.

“The whole row of houses can see them.”

According to the applicant, the position of all antennas has been chosen for “minimal visual impact”.

Wiltshire Council has approved his application and granted him planning permission.

The details of all planning applications submitted to Wiltshire Council can be found on the planning and building control public register.