Many readers will be disappointed to hear that Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Eric Pickles has decided not to call in the planning application for the development of an industrial park at Showell Farm, near Lacock, but to leave it to Wiltshire Council to make a decision on the proposal.

The recent rejection by the Government’s Planning Inspector of Wiltshire Council’s Core Strategy plans for housing development for Chippenham has completely undermined the rationale for the location of the Showell development, which was meant to be part of an ‘urban extension’ of Chippenham to the south west of the town.

Now that the council has had to go back to square one with its housing plans for the town, the only sensible course of action on the Showell Farm plan is for the planning committee to reverse their decision to grant outline permission and to wait until their new housing plans are finalised next year before considering the application again.

There will undoubtedly be major development around the town with thousands of new dwellings.

Rumours abound of proposed development sites for housing and major commercial development around Chippenham.

The council has a once in a generation opportunity to ensure there is a joined-up approach to development that benefits the community, revitalises the town centre and protects the wonderful countryside that surrounds the town.

Prejudicing the whole planning process with piecemeal development near Lacock would make a farce of the planning process.

It also opens up the council to the prospect of a very expensive and lengthy legal judicial review on its current decision for development at Showell Farm if they do not review their planning decision.

Tony Peacock, Showell, Lacock.