Council 'could lose planning powers' over rejections

The powers to assess planning applications in Wiltshire could be removed from the council if it continues to lose appeals, the authority's own planning manager has warned.

Kenny Green said the Planning Inspectorate had overturned 7% of Wiltshire Council's rejections over the last two years – and that powers can be taken away if this figure reaches 10%.

Mr Green said the council was also close to missing its housing provision target of 3,525 homes a year, a number that was nearly doubled last year by the Labour government.

He told councillors: "If councils breach 10%, there is a very real risk of them entering special measures – which means the council cannot determine applications."

At a meeting to consider an application for 55 homes in the village of Holt, near Melksham, he reminded councillors that there was a "significant shortage" of new houses in the pipeline.

The site is directly opposite another parcel of land where Bewley Homes won permission to build 90 homes after Wiltshire Council turned down the application.

Residents have objected to the 55 homes for reasons including increased traffic and the loss of a green field, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Tom O'Connor, managing director of the developer, Redcliffe Homes, said his firm had won design awards and prided itself on providing quality homes.

Committee member Adrian Foster said he understood the local concerns but didn't believe the planning inspector would deny the application if it went to appeal.

The committee granted an outline planning permission, which means the development can go ahead in principle.

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