Melksham Appeal success
June 10, 2022 4:43 pmTetlow King Planning is delighted to have secured outline planning permission for 50 affordable homes for Terra Strategic in Melksham, Wiltshire. The scheme will deliver a mix of house types and 60% affordable rent and 40% shared ownership. Other benefits include the provision of open space and contributions towards early years and primary education places, off-site play space, pedestrian crossing improvements and public art.
The appeal success was a team effort with Rosie Dinnen, Director appearing as planning expert witness, James Stacey, Senior Director as Affordable Housing witness, Jamie Roberts assisted with planning matters and five year housing land supply. Katie Machin, Director, Pegasus appeared as Landscape witness. The case was expertly led by counsel Thea Osmund-Smith, No.5 Chambers.
Rosie Dinnen, Director said:
“Wiltshire Council’s struggle to demonstrate a continuous five year housing land supply is well known, with numerous appeals having been allowed in recent years. The appeal in Melksham was unique and challenging as it was up against a recently made neighbourhood plan which made no allocations for the town itself nor did it seek to address affordable housing needs.
The acute need for affordable housing could not be ignored by the Inspector, especially as both parties had agreed affordable housing should be afforded substantial weight in the planning balance. Critically, the Inspector accepted that the site was in a sustainable location and the development would result in limited landscape harm therefore the pressing need for affordable housing outweighed any harm in the planning balance.”
The appeal decision is noteworthy, highlighting the importance of 100% affordable housing schemes addressing unmet affordable housing needs.