GLADMAN Developments have lodged an appeal to the Planning Inspectorate after Wiltshire Council refused permission to build 98 homes on land in Holt.

The outline application, which was submitted by housing developers Gladman in January, was met with much opposition by residents, with more than 80 submitting letters to Wiltshire Council to express their concerns.

The proposal was refused because the site is located in open countryside outside the limits of development defined for Holt in the Wiltshire Core Strategy, which was approved at the start of the year.

It was also stated that the proposal did not provide the delivery of necessary infrastructures such as affordable housing and securing education places.

During the application period, a consultation leaflet was distributed to 475 households and businesses in the village about the plans which were initially drafted for 110 homes on the field adjacent to Great Parks currently used by the West Wiltshire Equestrian Centre.

Now residents have been surprised to learn that an appeal had be lodged, which if approved, could see the plans go ahead.

Chris Crawford, who lives opposite the proposed site on Melksham Road, said: “The news of an appeal does surprise me because I thought the developers had given up and gone home. The village is already at full capacity and it can no longer be called a village.

“I understand there is a need for housing but the houses need to be built in areas where there are facilities in place to cope with the demand. Melksham and Trowbridge have the infrastructure to cope, but in Holt we are a straight through village and we don’t have the appropriate things in place.

“They are already developing houses in The Midlands and that is extremely large and I think anything further is completely wrong.”

Mr Crawford added that if the plans get approved then he would be inclined to move from the village where he has called home since 1964.

“If the appeal gets approved then I will move away and I will simply sell the land of my home to make way for homes to be built in its place,” he said.

“I am not going to be living here when there are houses being built on my doorstep. I have land here and I wouldn’t want to see that being built on.”

Wiltshire Council confirmed this week that it would be seeking costs from developers Gladman for the appeal on the grounds of unreasonable behaviour from their prior application.

Cllr Trevor Carbin, who represents the village, called in the application when it was first proposed and said he believes Wiltshire Council has a good chance of seeing the plans be refused for a second time.

He added: “Obviously they have the right to appeal but I think in this case, Wiltshire Council has a good chance in getting it thrown out.

“I don’t think the developers are bothered by the thoughts of the residents and the opposition against the plans is pretty much unanimous in the village so I don’t think they will be swayed to accept them.”

The plans in Holt were one of four proposed developments that the company is pursuing in Wiltshire.

Gladman were unable to provide a comment at the time of going to print.

Those wishing to comment on the plans should write to Planning Inspectorate Room 3/10b, Temple Quay House, 2 The Square, Bristol, BS1 6PN, quoting reference APP/Y3940/W/15/3063775 by August 21.