Plans for 200 new homes in Westbury have been turned down by Wiltshire Council after fears of overdevelopment.

Gladman Developments requested outline planning permission for the site in January 2023, which lies between The Ham and West Wiltshire Trading Estate.

Two other applications for similar projects had already been refused in 2018 and 2020.

This development would have required the demolition of number 13 and 14 Storridge Road for access purposes.

The new homes would have been adjacent to the existing residential development at Storridge Road, northwest of Westbury town centre.

The application said the 200 homes would be visually attractive “as a result of good architecture, layout and appropriate and effective landscaping.”

It also suggested the development would be sympathetic to local character and history.

The covering letter predicted the development could bring up to 464 new residents, approximately 229 of whom could be economically active and in employment.

However, Heywood Parish Council objected to the plans, raising concerns such as the possible overdevelopment and poor air quality of the area, as well as highway safety.

A total of 92 further representations were received, commenting upon points such as a loss of wildlife and a perceived lack of community involvement on behalf of the developers.

It was also argued that the application site is subject to a legal agreement that dates back to 1988 and prohibits development on the land, a document that the applicant claimed was “outdated.”

A local couple commented: “For those of us who live here, it is as relevant today as on the day it was agreed in 1988.

“As the case has been for a long time, Westbury continues to suffer from  residential overdevelopment – there simply is not the infrastructure to support this increase in housing.”

Wiltshire Council deemed the 1988 agreement as a separate legal matter for the landowner to resolve and said it did not prevent it from determining the current planning application on “its own planning merits.”

Despite this, the council found that insufficient information had been submitted in order to “robustly assess” whether up to 200 dwellings could be satisfactorily accommodated on the site, which lies outside Westbury’s settlement boundary.

It also noted that the proximity of West Wiltshire Trading Estate could have a significant adverse impact from noise on future residents.

The full details of the reasons given for Wiltshire Council’s refusal can be found on the Planning and Building Control Public Register.