Plans progress for huge housing development

Wiltshire Council will make a decision on the plans by next year

Plans for a huge housing development have moved a step closer to completion.

The reserved matters application for the second phase of the huge Rawlings Green site on the edge of Chippenham, in Wiltshire, has been submitted to the council by Crest Nicholson Operations Ltd and Summix Ltd.

The plans include designs for the layout and appearance of 454 homes, a care home, five commercial buildings and a country park spanning about 10-hectares.

Wiltshire Council granted outline permission for up to 650 homes in 2021, despite more than 150 letters of objection, including from Chippenham Town Council, Bremhill Parish Council and Langley Burrell Parish Council.

In the application, the developers said the proposals seek to "retain and enhance" existing features like as trees and footpaths, whilst adding woodland and amenity space.

“Ultimately the proposal enhances and extends the existing landscape framework, and to assimilate proposed built elements into the surrounding landscape context," they added.

The submitted floor plans for the care home show it will contain a total of 66 bed spaces.

Crest Nicholson Operations Ltd and Summix Ltd are now hoping that the council will give the go-ahead for the design of phase two.

The entire site is about 31.6-hectares, with the ground sloping down towards the river.

Access will be gained from Parsonage Way, via a new railway bridge, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

The development will also be built without gas boilers, meeting the Government's Future Homes Standard.

Wiltshire Council is expected to make a decision on the phase two plans by 20 January 2025.