TREES, archaeology and accessibility were just some of the concerns raised by councillors and residents over plans for more than 90 houses near Salisbury District Hospital.
As a result, Wiltshire Council’s southern area planning committee has deferred the application, wanting to work with developers to address the issues.
During a planning meeting last week, on February 3, councillors discussed the application for 95 dwellings on land east of Odstock Road and to the south of Rowbarrow, put forward by Savills.
Following archaeological and ecological issues raised in 2020, including cemetery remains onsite, the scheme was reduced from 108 dwellings to 101, and a further revision reduced the scheme to 95.
Despite adjustments to the application however, councillors and residents were quick to highlight their concerns with the current site proposal.
These issues included accessibility, archaeology, trees, overdevelopment, architecture and the environment.
Speaking at the meeting a representative for Cycling Opportunities Group Salisbury (COGS), objecting, said the scheme would have “adverse effects on well used pedestrian and cycle provision”, which would be “severed by a new access road”.
Also objecting to the plans, a Salisbury area green space partnership representative added “significant and unacceptable harm” would be caused if the development encroached on archaeological land or the tree line.
She said the character and quality of green space would be at risk.
On behalf of Salisbury City Council’s planning committee, Councillor Annie Riddle said the developers were “asking too much of the site”.
She fears that the trees, planted to mark the Queen’s coronation, could be “doomed to death by a thousand cuts” in the jubilee year, adding “people feel fearful when large trees loom over their properties”.
Potential site for more than 90 houses, on land between Rowbarrow and Odstock Road, Salisbury
The potential development is in East Harnham, of which Sven Hocking is the ward councillor.
Putting forward a motion to defer the application, Cllr Hocking said that with the reduced space, caused by historical assets, but not a large reduction in number of houses, the land would become an overdevelopment with “an awful lot of houses crammed on to a very small site”.
Following the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, he urged the developers to consider the need for “more space”, in the form of gardens, grounds and things to do.
A serious focus on the environment and making architecture “more tasteful” were other considerations put forward by Cllr Hocking.
“We should be making this development a bit more special,” he said, “we could make this a more green and environmentally friendly place for our residents to live.”
Other committee members echoed concerns of residents living too close to the tree belt, not knowing enough about the archaeology of the land and its need to be protected, and generic design.
After a one-hour debate, the decision to defer the application (20/00337/FUL) was supported by nine of the 11 councillors.
To view the planning application click here.
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