A LIST of plots of land where at least 400 affordable homes could be built in west Wiltshire will be revealed next week.

West Wiltshire's Private Finance Initiative scheme, which aims to provide affordable rented accommodation for local people in housing need, will be considered by the district council's cabinet on Wednesday.

The council has applied to the Government for PFI funding to deliver at least 400 new affordable homes, to provide rented accommodation for local people in housing need. However, the suggestions for land that could be used include several car parks in Trowbridge and Westbury, which may cause controversy.

The main elements of the scheme are:

  • The district council will provide free development land for 100 homes
  • Development sites for a further 100 homes will be provided at open market value from land owned by the district and county councils, as well as land in rural areas where building might not usually be allowed
  • The PFI contractor will be required to provide the rest of the development land.

Chris Trowell, the housing PFI project manager, said: "We have spent many months drawing up a list of potential sites, which are areas of council-owned land that we feel are most suited for this type of development.

"However, the final decision on which sites are included in the scheme rests with West Wiltshire's cabinet. "Providing the development land for at least 400 homes is the key challenge facing this scheme. The more land that the council can provide, the greater the prospects of securing strong market interest and value for money bids from housing providers.

"While there has been concern about the inclusion of car park sites on the list, these are actually some of the most suitable pieces of land that we have, as development will contribute to the regeneration of our market towns." Once the land list has been approved by the cabinet, work will begin on applying for outline planning permission on the sites.

Cllr Trevor Carbin, the council's finance portfolio holder, who also chairs the PFI project board, said: "My hope is that the cabinet will accept the land list in full. "The planning process will allow anyone with concerns over specific sites to have their say, and local councillors on the planning committee will take all views into account when they consider these applications.

"If we can't provide enough land, we won't be able to deliver the scheme and people in west Wiltshire desperately need these additional 400 affordable properties."

A meeting of the Government's project review group was held on Friday to consider West Wiltshire's PFI bid and it is hoped that the decision will be known in time for the cabinet meeting on Wednesday.