A DEVELOPER, which has submitted plans for a huge development in Malmesbury, has dismissed concerns that it is too large compared to what is allowed in the Neighbourhood Plan.

Persimmon Homes has registered a revised application with Wiltshire Council for 231 new houses after a detailed application in July last year failed.

The new application, for land at Backbridge Farm, includes plans for a public open space and the potential for the expansion of Malmesbury Primary School.

The site is covered in Malmesbury’s Neighbourhood Plan (NP), a key factor which will decide the outcome of the application after its principles were upheld in the decision to refuse planning for 71 homes at Gleeson’s proposed Filands development in July.

However the NP, which accommodates the building of 270 new houses in Malmesbury by 2026, only allows for 170 new houses at Backbridge Farm – 61 short of Persimmon’s application, a figure they call ‘approximate’.

Other alterations included in the new plan cover an increase in the number of three bed affordable houses in line with recommendations from the council’s affordable housing officer, a realignment of the main access route following an archaeological evaluation and a footpath to with a direct access to the adjacent Dyson factory.

Roger Budgen, chairman of planning on Malmesbury Town Council, said: “It’s disappointing to note that the revised plans come in with the same number of houses.

"We would have expected the developer to have taken notice from comments form a wide range of organisations and people who were also disappointed at that number as it will put increased pressure on services.

“This is an opportunity to get it right and not present problems to the town and residents in future years”, he said.

Richard Briggs, managing director of Persimmon Homes Wessex, said: “We have worked closely with Wiltshire Council and other stakeholders to revise our proposals submitted last year.

“The proposals seek to deliver the aspirations for the site in the neighbourhood plan.

“With regard to the number of dwellings proposed the examiner of the neighbourhood plan stated within his report that the number of dwellings should be a product of design and that the ‘approximate’ figure of 170 dwellings is no more than an estimate and is neither a minimum or a maximum.”

Malmesbury Town Council’s environment and planning committee will meet at 7pm on Tuesday, September 12 to discuss the application.