A STEERING group have begrudgingly not objected to plans to build 205 homes in the Hilperton Gap so that its neighbourhood plan will get approved.

As part of Wiltshire Council’s Site Allocation Plan last summer, 205 homes have been earmarked to be built on land between Victoria Road in Trowbridge and Elizabeth Way in Hilperton, even though it would rip up the green space between the two places.

Despite being heavily opposed to building on the Hilperton Gap, the steering group was told by its consultant that it shouldn’t say housing developments are off the table as he felt inspectors may reject the document because Wiltshire Council has said this piece of land is a suitable housing site.

“We are emphatically against building homes on the Hilperton Gap but our consultant was worried our neighbourhood plan would be rejected if we didn’t agree to this”, said Hilperton Parish Council chairman and steering group member, Ernie Clark.

“In an ideal situation, our neighbourhood plan will be accepted and when the inspectors look at this site as part of the site allocation plan, it will be turned down. But this is all in the hands of the inspectors.”

Trowbridge Town Council were against this move by the steering group as it would fail to protect the character and identify of Hilperton as a separate community.

“I sympathise with the position the steering group is in but my concern is that this impacts Trowbridge residents in Wyke Road, Victoria Road and Albert Road, in particular, more than Hilperton residents,” said Trowbridge Cllr Edward Kirk.

“It is so important to keep those green spaces intact.”