TOWN councillors have opposed controversial plans to build 50 new homes on a green field in Malmesbury.

Members of the planning committee of Malmesbury Town Council voted to recommend rejecting developer White Lion Land LLP and Stonewater Housing Association’s application for the new housing estate off Park Road.

The town council’s recommendation will be forwarded to Wiltshire Council’s planning committee, which will have the final decision, expected next month.

At the meeting on Tuesday evening, the council gave numerous reasons as to why they are objecting.

A spokesman for the council said: "The development is outside the Malmesbury settlement boundary and is on land not allocated for development in the Malmesbury Neighbourhood Plan.

"The Malmesbury Neighbourhood Plan is already delivering over 1000 dwellings against the minimum housing requirement for Malmesbury of 885 identified in the Wiltshire Core Strategy.

"The approval of these additional dwellings has not been assessed against whether the local infrastructure such as schools and health care are able to accommodate these numbers

"The developer has failed to provide any evidence of the local need for this many affordable houses.

The Malmesbury Neighbourhood Plan has already delivered 54 affordable homes from the Filands View scheme and will deliver another 80 affordable homes from the Backbridge Farm scheme.

“Malmesbury Town Council will emphasise in its objection that park road lies in an area of high and medium flood risk and local experience confirms this.

“There are also concerns that the additional traffic generated along park road will have an adverse effect particularly to the west where the road narrows into one lane.

“The development is on the wrong side of town for access to the principle facilities such as main roads and local schools.

“The proposed site is close to an AONB and has a mixed and vibrant ecology that will be damaged.”

Residents have also had their say on Wiltshire Council’s planning portal.

So far, 63 comments received by the council are objecting to the application, with just six in support.

Because the proposed land was not allocated for housing in the Malmesbury Neighbourhood Plan, the blueprint for development in the area, it would mean that Wiltshire Council would be going against the document if they were to approve the application.

Resident Kim Power, who is also a town councillor, said: “Speaking personally, I am really concerned about this latest challenge to our Neighbourhood Plan, as well as the many other reasons mentioned as to why this site is unsuitable.

“The plan, prepared and voted on by local residents, details where and how much new housing should be built in the Malmesbury Area until 2026.

“It does not include the off Park Road site as a chosen site.

“In my view, should this planning application be given the go ahead, it will undermine our Neighbourhood Plan and potentially lay us open to further applications.

“I am now considering writing to the Government Minister of State for Housing and Planning, Esther McVey MP, and our own local MP James Gray to advise them of this possible threat.

Wiltshire Council’s planning committee will make the final decision on the application.

Residents have until August 15 to submit their comments regarding the planning application at

bit.ly/2yJHkMY

.

A target date for a decision has been set for Tuesday, September 17.