PEOPLE in Warminster have been told their town will grow by 500 more homes than they were expecting over the next 25 years.

A public meeting on Tuesday heard that the West Warminster Urban Extension will include 1,403 houses instead of the 900 anticipated.

Wiltshire Council’s planning director Alistair Cunningham told a disgruntled audience of around 120 people at the Athenaeum that 900 homes is the number planned up to 2026 and the extra homes will be built as the plan is rolled forward to 2033.

Cllr Steve Dancey, who was at the meeting, said: “We heard noises about providing a ‘through school’ in the west of the town but there is little clarity about what is proposed. It is a tactical sticking plaster fix when we need some strategic thinking.

“This urban expansion offers the last chance to remedy the disgrace of Warminster’s acutely overloaded secondary school system. We must have two schools in the town if we are to have an additional 2,000 homes dumped on us.”

“Last month we as town councillors officially requested that no major development in the town be approved by Wiltshire Council until a coherent and acceptable plan for 11-16 education exists in this area.

“The proposal put forward by developers is a half-hearted penny-pinching attempt to resolve the education issue.

“Nothing less than a new secondary school in the west of the town will do - no ifs no buts.

“Unless that is achieved Warminster children will have a poorer educational experience than children in other communities, which is unacceptable.

“I would hope that message will be taken on board by our local MP and brought up at the highest level with education ministers.”

Members of the audience spoke out about issues including highways, drainage and amenities needed for the new houses.

A spokesperson for Wiltshire Council said: “Currently we have planning applications for 1,403 homes for the West Warminster Urban Expansion (WWUE) site for consideration.

"Under the proposals around 893 homes are likely to be delivered on the site during the Wiltshire Core Strategy plan period to 2026 with the remainder being delivered 2026 to 2033.

"The WWUE draft masterplan and planning applications provide extensive detail on infrastructure for these proposed developments including adequate education provision.

"The principle of development on this particular site has already been set through the Wiltshire Core Strategy and if developers can show that the site can accommodate a certain number of homes in a sustainable way, in line with the National Planning Policy Framework, then this has to be given proper consideration by the local planning authority – Wiltshire Council.

"Allowing a greater number of homes on the WWUE site, if the evidence shows this can be delivered without unacceptable adverse impact, would make more efficient use of land and could alleviate pressure for further greenfield development at Warminster post 2026."