A plan for a new estate on farmland in West Wiltshire has received the green light despite fears people living there would be in 'danger'.

Wiltshire Council voted to approve a planning application for land at Glenmore Farm on The Ham in Westbury at the strategic planning committee meeting on Wednesday, November 1.

It proposes up to 145 homes, a community orchard, children's play areas, tree planting, habitat creation and ecology buffers.

The original application stated: “The development will provide much-needed market and affordable homes with a sense of place that demonstrate best practice in terms of biodiversity with an abundance of open space and excellent connections into town and out into the wider countryside.”

Members of the council expressed concerns about the location of the proposed bus stop, standing water in the area, and potential congestion on the roundabout at the end of The Ham.

David Jenkins, a resident who has lived on The Ham for nearly 50 years, attended the meeting.

He claimed that the access point to the proposed site was a potential accident spot with insufficient visibility.

He said: “The people who will be using this will be in danger.”

Meanwhile, councillor Francis Morland called the proposal a “deeply flawed scheme” and councillor Suzanne Wickham echoed the concerns of local residents.

Councillor John Masson, the chairman of Heywood Parish Council, reported that it objects strongly to the application.

He said: “There is a lack of sustainable access, and there will be a high degree of reliance on private vehicles.

“The site is a 30-minute walk to the nearest supermarket in central Westbury, a 40-minute walk to the White Horse health centre, and 25-minute walk to the nearest school.

“On a cold winter’s day in January when it is six degrees and pouring with rain, nobody is going to walk into Westbury or take a bus and then carry bags of shopping home.”

Jemma Shorrock, the planning consultant representing the applicant, argued that the scheme provides a series of benefits.

She said: “Aside from delivering much-needed market housing that responds to the needs of Westbury, it also provides 58 affordable homes.”

In response to previously expressed concerns, the planning consultant added: “The application has gone through rigorous approval processes, including traffic and speed surveys, and a stage-2 road safety audit.”

She concluded: “The scheme is ecology and landscape-led, and delivers a significant buffer to the northern hedgerow boundary, with all core habitat retained and buffered.

“There is significant tree and scrub planting and provision of an orchard to deliver a net gain biodiversity.”