CHIPPENHAM MP Michelle Donelan has called for a united response on planning applications as she visited a controversial appeal site alongside the A4 Bath Road in Corsham.

She met Cllr Nick Botterill,Wiltshire Council's new cabinet member for development management, strategic planning and climate change, in Pickwick to discuss the Gladman Developments planning appeal and how to ensure it does not happen again.

Together with Simon Hart, the managing director of Lovell Stone Group who operates a local quarry, they discussed Gladman’s unsuccessful appeal which was dismissed at a four-day public inquiry.

Wiltshire Council had rejected Gladman Developments' application to build 150 homes and two office blocks opposite the Catholic Church at Hartham Park in Corsham.

Miss Donelan said: “I was pleased to meet Wiltshire Council’s new cabinet member responsible for planning, Cllr Nick Botterill, to discuss preventing further fruitless appeals by Gladman and why the Corsham community was right to oppose it.

"Lessons need to be learned on planning in Pickwick and we agreed Wiltshire Council should be more active in understanding the local community and the local geography.

"In particular, I raised the importance of having an up-to-date and comprehensive mineral strategy which is incorporated in local plans.

"Using local stone in the design of homes helps harmonise new developments with existing properties and the local landscape and it has undeniable environmental benefits when compared with importing raw materials from abroad.

"Clearly, Gladman failed to meet the conditions they were set and I have been privileged to support residents and the Pickwick Association in their campaign against this development.

"Bringing together the operators of the quarry, who understand the local geography, together with town and county council, I hope renewed focus on the area will lead to a united and cohesive response to future uses of the land.”

The MP campaigned against the development and has worked with both local and county representatives to ensure Corsham is not subjected to development it does not want nor need.

Local residents, Corsham Town Council and the Pickwick Association had strongly objected to the company's plans.

The Congleton, Cheshire-based company obtained outline planning permission for the site in 2015 but this was conditional on the council being satisfied that homes and offices would be insulated against noise and vibration from the stone mining activity underneath the development.

These conditions were not met in August 2018 and again when it handed in revised plans.

Wiltshire Council is now making a claim for the appeal costs due to the firm's unreasonable behaviour and the company has been prevented from appealing again.