Update on delays to building 2,500-homes on Trowbridge edge

Ashton Park, a huge housing estate set to be built on land to the east of Trowbridge, received outline planning permission in July last year.

The development will be built in four phases, with phase one - the part closest to Trowbridge - consisting of 350 homes, and then 375 in phase two, 725 in phase three, and 750 in phase four.

Persimmon, the site's developers, submitted multiple applications for reserved matters for phase one of the development in September last year, and the council is currently considering plans for more than 300 homes.

According to Wiltshire Council’s planning portal pages for each of the applications that make up phase one, the proposals were due to be decided upon by the middle of December, 2025. However, more than three months later, no decision has been issued.

Persimmon has previously told this paper they intended to open the first sales outlets on the site later in 2026. Responding to a request for comment for this story, the developers said that despite the delays, they were committed making sure they deliver homes by the end of this year.

A spokesperson for Persimmon Homes Wessex said: “We are hopeful Wiltshire Council will be able to determine the reserved matters application for our first phase of housing at Ashton Park later this month. 

“The project is ambitious in terms of both quality and timescales and we remain committed to achieving this and delivering the first homes later this year.”

The council, meanwhile, said the proposals continued to “evolve”, and that they are focusing on making a well-informed decision. They added they are not able to define a precise timescale.

How homes at Ashton Park could look (Image: Persimmon Homes)

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Cllr Adrian Foster, cabinet member for Strategic Planning, Development Management and Housing, said: “We’ve agreed with the applicant to extend the decision deadlines for the Ashton Park Phase 1 planning applications to ensure there is sufficient time for proposals to be fully refined.

“This additional period allows us to work with the applicant to shape detailed designs that will provide quality living environments, modern housing and amenities that meets current standards and best practice whilst protecting the natural environment and ecological interests.

“The proposals continue to evolve through positive discussions between the council and the developers. This collaborative approach is helping to strengthen the plans, with all parties focused on improving the quality of the detailed schemes.

“We are now carefully completing the remaining assessment work. While we’re not yet able to confirm a precise timescale for a decision, we will move forward once all outstanding information has been thoroughly reviewed. Our focus is on making a well‑informed decision that supports the long‑term interests of the community whilst delivering much needed housing.”

Although the applications for the first homes on the site appear to have stalled, the scheme is moving forward. On March 2, Wiltshire Council officially approved an application for reserved matters for the construction of an ecological visitors' centre as part of the first phase of the Ashton Park development on land south east of Trowbridge.

As this paper reported when the application was filed, provision of the ecology centre was one of 36 conditions placed on joint developers Barratt David Wilson Homes and Persimmon before Wiltshire Council granted planning permission for the massive Ashton park development.

The centre will be run by Wiltshire Wildlife Trust to manage public access to Green Lane Wood, an ancient woodland, and Biss Wood, a Local Nature Reserve.