Land South Of Snarlton Farm, Melksham, Wiltshire
Proposed Residential Development & Community Facilities
Planning Application Update
The outline planning application for up to 300 new homes and community facilities on land south of Snarlton Farm, Melksham has been withdrawn - February 2024.
(Application Reference - PL/2023/07107).
This is to enable us to carry out further technical work.
Proposals for new homes and community facilities in Melksham
An outline planning application for new homes and community facilities on land south of Snarlton Farm, Melksham has been submitted to Wiltshire Council (August 2023).
The application reference number is PL/2023/07107, and the application is available to view on the Council's website.
In summary the proposals include:
- Up to 300 new homes
- 30% affordable housing
- For those looking to downsize, a proportion of the new homes include bungalows
- Reducing carbon emissions in line with the Future Homes Standard. Its aim is to ensure that new homes built from 2025 will produce 75-80% less carbon emissions. (compared to the previous building regulations)
- Electric car charging points will be provided for each new home
- Land for community use such as allotments and orchard or a building with carparking
- Over 19.8 acres (8ha) of open space and green infrastructure including two children’s play areas which amounts to more than 40% of the site
- Significant new landscaping and creation of new habitats to deliver biodiversity net gains of 20% with the creation of a green walking and cycling corridor park alongside Clackers Brook. This is well in excess of the +10% mandated in the Environment Act
- Integration of existing public rights of way within the open space network and creation of new linked and circular footpath routes through the development and exploring connections to surrounding community and leisure uses
Outline Planning Application
An outline planning application seeks to establish whether the scale and nature of a proposed development would be acceptable to the Council, before a second fully detailed planning application (Reserved Matters) is submitted.
Where outline permission has been granted, and within three years of the outline approval, an application for the outstanding Reserved Matters can be submitted, i.e., the information excluded from the initial outline planning application.
This will include information about the exact layout, scale and appearance of the new homes, as well as the details of the open space and landscaping.
No development can take place on site until the Reserved Matters application has been consented.
Statutory consultees (e.g., Environment Agency and the Highways Authority) and local residents will have the opportunity to formally comment on the application direct with Eastbourne Borough Council
We will continue to work closely with the Council and where necessary will respond to statutory consultees through the planning process.
Planning Background - Wiltshire Council
Wiltshire Council has been undertaking a review of its Local Plan. The Local Plan seeks to identify and meet the need for homes, jobs, shopping, leisure and the environment in the area.
As part of the Local Plan, the Emerging Spatial Strategy proposes a requirement for 3,950 homes to be delivered in Melksham of which 2,545 homes remain to be allocated.
The current Local Plan Review consultation has indicated land at Snarlton Farm as part of a potential wider development site to provide a strategic extension to the east of Melksham.
Wiltshire Council cannot currently demonstrate a 5 year housing land supply and there has been delays to the Local Plan.
This site can provide much needed high quality homes in the short term to assist the Council in meeting its housing shortfall.
Pressure On Existing Infrastructure - Schools, Doctors And Local Services Capacity
If planning permission is granted for our proposals, a Community Infrastructure Levy charge per metre of development will be paid to the Council to fund necessary improvements to local infrastructure.
We expect receipts from the Community Infrastructure Levy payment to be directed towards:
- Transport Infrastructure: road capacity, rail services, bus services, community transport, walking/cycling and parking
- Education: early years and childcare, primary schools, secondary schools, further education, higher education and adult learning
- Health: primary care, secondary care
- Community: indoor and outdoor sports/leisure facilities, outdoor children’s play areas, parks and amenity green space, allotments and community gardens, community meeting spaces and libraries
- Green Infrastructure: green corridors natural and semi-natural urban green spaces
We are also investigating the need for additional sports provision locally which could potentially be funded in part or in full as a Section.106 contribution
Catesby Estates selected as preferred land promoter for strategic land site in Wiltshire
Catesby Estates are promoting land south of Snarlton Farm, Melksham, Wiltshire with potential for new homes and community facilities, including a policy compliant percentage of affordable housing.
The site lies within the administrative area of Wiltshire Council.
The land site is in a sustainable location close to the market town of Melksham which provides a wide range of services and facilities.
Myron Osborne, Land & Development Director for Catesby Estates said; “We are pleased to add this well located and sustainable potential residential site to our land promotion portfolio."
"Our in-house planning and technical teams will be now be working with both the Wiltshire Council and Melksham Without Parish Council to bring this site forward for housing.
Site Specifics
40 Acre Site (16.2 Hectares)
Up to 300 New HomesNew Homes Up to 300 new homes with a mix of house sizes and types, ranging from 1 to 4 bed houses to meet local policy requirements and identified need.
For those looking to downsize, the proposals could include a proportion of bungalows.
Affordable Housing. 30% affordable housing (i.e., up to 90 affordable homes).
Affordable housing is a combination of discounted rent, discounted sale (for first time buyers) and shared ownership housing, provided to eligible households whose needs are not met by the market.
This will assist those looking for their first home, and lower income individuals and families get on the housing ladder in Melksham.
This is particularly pertinent in Melksham, where the average house price over the last year was £315,704 (Zoopla) compared to the UK average of £294,329 (Land Registry).
Community Facilities. Land for community use such as allotments and orchard or a building with carparking
Public Open Space. Over 19.8 acres (8ha) of open space and green infrastructure including two children’s play areas which amounts to more than 40% of the site
Ecology and Clackers Brook. Whilst we have seen evidence of wildlife on the site, the fields are used for agricultural purposes and the main area of valuable ecological habitat is the area surrounding Clackers Brook and the existing hedgerows and trees.
The proposals include enhancement to the existing water course with new planting and the retention of the existing field boundary, hedgerows and hedgerow trees wherever possible.
A range of wildlife friendly features will also be incorporated, for example bat and bird boxes, in addition to soft landscaping which will include habitats such as grasslands featuring wildflower and large vegetative buffers.
The retained vegetation would be enhanced and managed to maximise its landscape and ecological value.
Significant new landscaping and creation of new habitats to deliver biodiversity net gains of 20% with the creation of a green walking and cycling corridor park alongside Clackers Brook. This is well in excess of the +10% mandated in the Environment Act
Retention of ecological and landscape features including trees and hedgerows, alongside the creation of new habitats will deliver net gains in biodiversity. Early conversations with the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust have confirmed that some naturalisation of the Brook would be an advantage, and this will be explored alongside other recommendations.
A pond feature associated with the development of The Acorns to the west is also located within the site, and will be retained and positively integrated into the proposed landscape and open space areas.
Flooding and Drainage. The site is situated within the Environment Agency’s Flood Zone 1.
These are areas with a less than 1 in 1000 annual probability of flooding from rivers, the lowest probability of fluvial flooding. As a result these areas are considered by national policy as most suitable for housing development.
Highways and Access. Access into the site will be formed from Eastern Way. The primary vehicular access points will include:
A fourth arm will be delivered off the roundabout and into the site.
The emerging ‘t junction’ on Eastern Way will be converted to a traffic lit crossroads junction.
New pedestrian crossing points on Eastern Way will be explored as part of the access junction works. These will facilitate sustainable connections and movements east to west from the development towards the town and local facilities and services.
Should the Melksham Bypass Route come forward the proposed development does not prejudice its future delivery.
Sustainability and Climate Change. Homes both new and existing account for 20% of greenhouse gas emissions in the UK.
We will be reducing carbon emissions in line with the Future Homes Standard.
Its aim is to ensure that new homes built from 2025 will produce 75-80% less carbon emissions. (compared to the previous building regulations)
Electric car charging points will be provided for each new home.
Planning Application Update
The outline planning application for up to 300 new homes and community facilities on land south of Snarlton Farm, Melksham has been withdrawn - February 2024.
(Application Reference - PL/2023/07107).
This is to enable us to carry out further technical work.
Proposals for new homes and community facilities in Melksham
An outline planning application for new homes and community facilities on land south of Snarlton Farm, Melksham has been submitted to Wiltshire Council (August 2023).
The application reference number is PL/2023/07107, and the application is available to view on the Council's website.
In summary the proposals include:
- Up to 300 new homes
- 30% affordable housing
- For those looking to downsize, a proportion of the new homes include bungalows
- Reducing carbon emissions in line with the Future Homes Standard. Its aim is to ensure that new homes built from 2025 will produce 75-80% less carbon emissions. (compared to the previous building regulations)
- Electric car charging points will be provided for each new home
- Land for community use such as allotments and orchard or a building with carparking
- Over 19.8 acres (8ha) of open space and green infrastructure including two children’s play areas which amounts to more than 40% of the site
- Significant new landscaping and creation of new habitats to deliver biodiversity net gains of 20% with the creation of a green walking and cycling corridor park alongside Clackers Brook. This is well in excess of the +10% mandated in the Environment Act
- Integration of existing public rights of way within the open space network and creation of new linked and circular footpath routes through the development and exploring connections to surrounding community and leisure uses
Outline Planning Application
An outline planning application seeks to establish whether the scale and nature of a proposed development would be acceptable to the Council, before a second fully detailed planning application (Reserved Matters) is submitted.
Where outline permission has been granted, and within three years of the outline approval, an application for the outstanding Reserved Matters can be submitted, i.e., the information excluded from the initial outline planning application.
This will include information about the exact layout, scale and appearance of the new homes, as well as the details of the open space and landscaping.
No development can take place on site until the Reserved Matters application has been consented.
Statutory consultees (e.g., Environment Agency and the Highways Authority) and local residents will have the opportunity to formally comment on the application direct with Eastbourne Borough Council
We will continue to work closely with the Council and where necessary will respond to statutory consultees through the planning process.
Planning Background - Wiltshire Council
Wiltshire Council has been undertaking a review of its Local Plan. The Local Plan seeks to identify and meet the need for homes, jobs, shopping, leisure and the environment in the area.
As part of the Local Plan, the Emerging Spatial Strategy proposes a requirement for 3,950 homes to be delivered in Melksham of which 2,545 homes remain to be allocated.
The current Local Plan Review consultation has indicated land at Snarlton Farm as part of a potential wider development site to provide a strategic extension to the east of Melksham.
Wiltshire Council cannot currently demonstrate a 5 year housing land supply and there has been delays to the Local Plan.
This site can provide much needed high quality homes in the short term to assist the Council in meeting its housing shortfall.
Pressure On Existing Infrastructure - Schools, Doctors And Local Services Capacity
If planning permission is granted for our proposals, a Community Infrastructure Levy charge per metre of development will be paid to the Council to fund necessary improvements to local infrastructure.
We expect receipts from the Community Infrastructure Levy payment to be directed towards:
- Transport Infrastructure: road capacity, rail services, bus services, community transport, walking/cycling and parking
- Education: early years and childcare, primary schools, secondary schools, further education, higher education and adult learning
- Health: primary care, secondary care
- Community: indoor and outdoor sports/leisure facilities, outdoor children’s play areas, parks and amenity green space, allotments and community gardens, community meeting spaces and libraries
- Green Infrastructure: green corridors natural and semi-natural urban green spaces
We are also investigating the need for additional sports provision locally which could potentially be funded in part or in full as a Section.106 contribution
Catesby Estates selected as preferred land promoter for strategic land site in Wiltshire
Catesby Estates are promoting land south of Snarlton Farm, Melksham, Wiltshire with potential for new homes and community facilities, including a policy compliant percentage of affordable housing.
The site lies within the administrative area of Wiltshire Council.
The land site is in a sustainable location close to the market town of Melksham which provides a wide range of services and facilities.
Myron Osborne, Land & Development Director for Catesby Estates said; “We are pleased to add this well located and sustainable potential residential site to our land promotion portfolio."
"Our in-house planning and technical teams will be now be working with both the Wiltshire Council and Melksham Without Parish Council to bring this site forward for housing.
