The Eastern Area Planning Committee met to discuss planning appeals and a reserved matters application for land north of Marshall Road, Devizes. The committee approved the minutes from the previous meeting and then approved the reserved matters application, which concerned the appearance, landscaping, layout, and scale of a housing development.

Land north of Marshall Road, Devizes

The committee approved a reserved matters application for land to the north of Marshall Road, Devizes, concerning appearance, landscaping, layout, and scale, pursuant to outline planning permission PL/2022/05360.

The application seeks to build 32 affordable homes, a mix of social rent (60%) and shared ownership (40%). The development will consist of one-bedroom flats, two-bedroom houses and bungalows, and three and four-bedroom houses. The homes will be built using modern methods of construction, incorporating features such as air source heat pumps¹ and rooftop photovoltaic panels².

The planning officer, Helena Carney, explained that reserved matters applications deal with specific details following outline consent. She noted that the applicant had repositioned the proposed air source heat pumps in response to noise concerns raised by Devizes Town Council, and had provided an acoustic report which had received no objections from the Public Protection Officer, subject to conditions.

During public participation, Tim French spoke in objection to the application, while Councillor Iain Wallis of Devizes Town Council, and Andy Mead, Wiltshire Council's Residential Development Manager, spoke in support.

Councillor Maria Hoult, the Local Unitary Member, spoke in support of the application, highlighting the need for affordable homes for local people. Councillor Adrian Foster, Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning, Development Management, and Housing, also supported the application, noting that the development would be built by Wiltshire Council's Regulated Housing Authority and would provide much-needed shared ownership housing. He added that there were approximately 4,500 people on Wiltshire Council's Housing Register in need of affordable housing.

Some committee members raised concerns about potential noise from the air source heat pumps. Officers clarified that a condition outlined a set decibel level that would need to be adhered to, with a post-installation acoustic assessment to ensure compliance.

The committee voted to approve the application, subject to conditions outlined in the PL202409128 - Report.

Planning Appeals

The committee noted the Appeals Report, which stated that no appeals had been heard since the last committee meeting.