PLANS for a large housing estate in Melksham have been thrown out by Wiltshire Council this week, with councillors calling the application “outrageous”.

The scheme, submitted last December by Gladman Developments Ltd and Nicholas Keen, could have seen farm buildings demolished, with a listed farmhouse saved and up to 263 houses with access, open space and landscaping built off Shurnhold.

At the strategic planning committee on Wednesday, councillors were unanimously objected to the idea.

Altogether 111 letters of opposition were sent to Wiltshire Council, which included a 527-signature petition from neighbouring residents.

Cllr Terry Chivers, who represents Melksham Without North, told the meeting: “This isn’t in my ward but it affects many people. I think it is probably the most outrageous application we have seen in Melksham every since I started at the council in the late 1980s and could even be described as the most outrageous in West Wiltshire.

“I think we have got sufficient reason to turn it down and I think it is very rare to see a planning application come before this committee with so many reasons for it to be turned down.

“If people can strap themselves to the runway at Heathrow Airport then I am in no doubt people would do the same in this situation.”

According to the Wiltshire Core Strategy, which was adopted in January, the houses would have been outside the town policy limits for Melksham as previous planning permission has been granted for a residential development on the former George Ward School grounds.

Both Melksham Town Council and Melksham Without Parish Council have expressed deep concerns about the area, which is prone to flooding.

Cllr Paul Carter, from Melksham Without, said at the meeting: “If the development goes ahead it could potentially bring in 400 or 500 extra cars and any future development in this area, particularly with how it floods, will exacerbate the problem.”

Charles Adams, a local resident added that he believes the character of the landscape would be lost which would consequently result in Melksham turning from a rural to urban area.

Mr Adams told councillors: “I am representing a larger number of people in Melksham, Shaw and Whitley; many have already raised their objections.

“We would respectfully urge the committee recommend for refusal and we would like to think that the application should not go to appeal as it would disenfranchise the community who would be impacted on.”

Senior planning officer Mike Wilmot, who wrote athe concluding report on the plans, said: “We, as officers, believe that in this case, the benefits do not outweigh the adverse impacts that the development would have on Melksham.

said: “It is on the wrong side of Melksham and it the whole point is that The development should be sustainable and this one is not in any way."

Nicholas Keen, who was at the meeting, did not want to comment on whether he would lodge an appeal.