19th May 2016
Planning consent secured for Westbury Sailing Lake scheme
Wiltshire Council has resolved to approve developer Square Bay’s proposal for 300 new homes, vital new infrastructure including a railway bridge and link road, and a new sailing club facility at the Westbury Sailing Lake site on the north western edge of the town.
The 22 hectare site, acquired from the HCA in March 2015, includes agricultural land, a large sailing lake and a County Wildlife Site and is surrounded by railway infrastructure adjacent to Westbury Railway Station.
Alder King Planning Consultants were appointed by Square Bay in February 2015 to manage the planning process. Partner Alan Pearce said: “The development of this key strategic site had been a long-term aspiration for the Council which saw it as key to the delivery of much-needed new housing and infrastructure in the town. We’re delighted with the outcome of this application which also ensures an enhanced facility for the local sailing club.”
A detailed pre-application process was undertaken involving consultation with key stakeholders and local people including key Wiltshire officers, Network Rail, Westbury Town Council, West Wiltshire Youth Sailing Association and Eden Vale Angling Association.
Alder King submitted an outline planning application in December 2015 with access determined and full details concerning the relocation of the sailing club. Following detailed assessment of the constraints and opportunities, the indicative masterplan demonstrated that the site had greater capacity than the 250 homes identified in Wiltshire’s Core Strategy. The design principles for the site layout and road were established with officers to inform future reserved matters submissions.
As well as the usual survey work and reports, this site required considerable ecological survey work to satisfy the LPA. An enhanced bridge contribution, new link road and improved pedestrian and cycle route to the Station were included to meet LPA objectives as well as a CIL payment.
Alder King Planning Consultants worked collaboratively with Square Bay’s core team including AWP on highways and drainage, Focus on Design on master-planning, Sulis on Public Affairs, Tyler Grange on landscape and ecology, and Cotswold on archaeology.