Winsley shop, takeaway and EV charging plans revealed at meeting

So many packed into the Church Hall in Winsley that organisers were forced to hold the community consultation event outside in the car park.

Nigel Whitehead, of planning consultants WPB Planning in Bath, outlined two proposals on at the event June 15 – with residents voicing objections before he had hardly begun.

The first is to build an electric vehicle charging station with 20 rapid charging points, a car wash, Amazon collection point, shop, takeaway outlet and a community hub, on a field to the north of Broomground, Northfield and Saxon Way in front of Bradford on Avon Rugby Club.

The proposals for the EV charging station, shop and take-away. The community hub was not included when the proposals were submitted to Wiltshire Council. Photo: John Baker (Image: Photo: John Baker)

The second is to build 20 new homes, and possibly a community hub, on land at Little Close Farm, which is bordered by the Winsley bypass, Ashley Lane and Bradford Road, and opposite the first site.

The housing proposals for land at Little Close Farm, Winsley. Photo: John Baker (Image: WPB Planning)

Acknowledging that they have many planning hurdles to overcome, Mr Whitehead said: “This is at an early stage and we are not playing games with you.

“If you don’t want a community hub, we won’t provide one. But the proposals for the EV charging station, shop and takeaway will go ahead.”

He revealed they have been talking to Shell and Waitrose about providing facilities for the first site. It will not include a filling station, he said.

Winsley has been without a community shop since Bestway Wholesale closed the convenience store in Tyning Road at the end of April 2022.

At a sometimes rowdy event, Mr Whitehead struggled to make his voice heard above people querying the proposals and asking for more details.

The developer behind the proposals is Mike Burbidge, 70, a director of Dajam Ltd, a local building contractor and development company.

He said: “The purpose of the forum is to canvas views as widely as possible over options for this local facility.

“Feedback on the community consultation will be discussed with Winsley Parish Council and Wiltshire Council.”

Mr Whitehead told residents they had already submitted pre-application details to Wiltshire Council for the EV charging station, shop, and take-away.

During a recent working group meeting with Winsley Parish Council, they had become aware of the need for a new community hub, and so added this to their proposals, he said.

But residents largely seemed to be against the proposals, with one man saying: “We don’t need a community hub, and we don’t want an EV charging station.”

Those present voiced concerns about an increase in traffic, pedestrian access, the height of the buildings proposed, and building on land within the village green belt.

Mr Burbidge said: “We have not even submitted a planning application yet to Wiltshire Council. We know that some of it is in the green belt. We are just having a little open forum to see what people think.”

After the forum ended, Mr Burbidge said he thought the event had not gone well.

“It is not very good but we will see what happens,” he said.

While he owns the land on which the EV charging station, shop and takeaway could be built, he does not own Little Close Farm, which belongs to local farmer Richard Ayland.

“Nothing will get built there for at least 10 years,” he said, referring to the proposals to build 14 homes for sale on the open market and six affordable homes.

For those who could not attend Thursday’s forum, a second public open forum is likely to be held at 7.30pm on Thursday, June 22 at the same venue.