A MAYOR and his colleagues have successfully pressured a developer to adapt its designs for a new housing development.

Concerns were raised about the accessibility and quality of plans for new housing development on land off Filands Road/Jenner Lane in Malmesbury.

Wiltshire Council granted developer Bloor Homes permission to build on two rural adjacent sites at Filands, initially for 71 homes and 78 homes in January last year. 

Due to pressure from Malmesbury Town Council, the proposed 78 home development site was reduced to 70 and included provision for a children's nursery.

Concerns were raised about the quality of detailed plans submitted by the developer, despite them being supported by Wiltshire Council's planning officers.

Some town councillors urged to Bloor to reconsider the proposed site of the nursery to more accessible place so that parents would have a safer place to drop off their children.

Others felt that the designs of the housing itself could be significantly improved to make them more environmentally efficient. 

In addition, some believed that the design wasn't making the most of the views of Malmesbury Abbey that the site had to offer.

Malmesbury mayor and Wiltshire councillor Gavin Grant called on Wiltshire Council's Northern Area Planning Committee to vote on Bloor's detailed plans, and they were unanimously rejected.

Bloor's appeal against this decision was recently thrown out by a planning inspector.

The developer is now working with the town council to design a more accessible community-oriented site.

Cllr Grant hopes his intervention will help neighbouring town and parish councils see that their concerns about planning decisions are important and should be listened to.

Cllr Grant said: "We need these new homes to be attractive and to be built to the highest environmental standards to save energy and costs for those who live there. 

"Too many new developments have no built space for community use and I want to see a room built into the new pre-school and nursery which can be used for young people and others. 

"Councillors need to stand up for their communities as I do for Malmesbury. 

"We have to be willing to take on Wiltshire Council planning teams and the developers when they get things wrong. 

"Developers must learn the key lesson of this appeal - please do not waste your time, energy and money on expensive lawyers and planning consultants.

"Instead spend a fraction of that time, energy and cash working constructively with those of us who represent and really care about our communities."

Cllr Campbell Ritchie, a member of Malmesbury Town Council's planning committee and mayor when the application for this development was first received, said the failure of Bloor's appeal was good news for the town.

Cllr Ritchie said: "Thanks to our intervention, we have made sure the adjacent developments will be properly master-planned, with a lower density of higher quality, more energy efficient homes.

"I think we have set a new bar."

A spokesperson for Bloor said: “Our South-west region has worked closely with Malmesbury Town Council on a comprehensive housing scheme at Filands, initially through a series of workshops with the town council’s representatives, and subsequently through the submission of a full planning application developed with Wiltshire Council officers. 

 “The scheme offers land for a nursery in an accessible location, centrally orientated public open play space, affordable housing, and a design in keeping with the existing adjoining development.

“We look forward to continuing to work with both Malmesbury Town Council and Wiltshire Council towards planning approval and delivering new homes in Malmesbury thereafter.”