Wiltshire Council has approved details for the construction of 191 new homes at Rowden Park in Chippenham.

The project falls within the Rowden Park Garden Village application which received outline approval in 2017 for up to 1,000 residential dwellings and 1.8ha of primary school site.

The initial designs for Phase 3, which concerns the area to the south west of the Riverside Park, were submitted to the council in 2020.

Wiltshire Times: The site will be accessed via the B4528 Patterdown Road to the west which connects the A350 to the south of the town centre.The site will be accessed via the B4528 Patterdown Road to the west which connects the A350 to the south of the town centre. (Image: Redcliffe Homes Ltd)
The proposals were subject to several revisions following local reaction and consultation feedback, such as increasing the proposed number of homes from 177 to 191.

According to the officer report, the main concerns related to the planned pedestrian and cycleway into Riverside Park to Rowden Mile, the street trees and lighting, the size of the verges along primary vehicle routes and the site perimeters to the north, particularly the termination of roads with parking areas.

Historic England queried the density of development bordering the conservation area, and the Police Crime Prevention Team highlighted locations that could become problematic for crime.

Wiltshire Times: According to the application, houses in brick and render will form the core of the development.According to the application, houses in brick and render will form the core of the development. (Image: Redcliffe Homes Ltd)

Lacock Parish Council and Chippenham Town Council raised objections about biodiversity.  

Revised plans were submitted to address these concerns in January and May 2022 and February and June 2023.

The final set of revised plans that were submitted in October 2023, including updated landscaping and engineering details, has now been given the go-ahead by Wiltshire Council.