Plans for 205 houses at Warminster back on table

By Local Democracy Reporter Peter Davison

A plan to build more than 200 homes on last west of Westbury Road, Warminster is back on the table.

Having been refused by planning permission by Wiltshire Council in 2024, and by the Planning Inspectorate the following year due to flooding fears, Barratt Homes has returned with a plan it hopes will satisfy all parties.

The site comprises 25.8 acres of agricultural land situated immediately adjacent to the northern limits of Warminster.

The New Farm site is bounded on its western side by the railway, beyond which lies the Crusader Park commercial estate, and to the east by the main Westbury Road.

Barratt Homes wants to build 205 homes – 61 of which would be designated affordable – along with a community hub, public open space including parks and allotments, access, and infrastructure.

The homes would be a mixture of flats, semi-detached houses, and detached houses.

The proposals would also include the closure of a level crossing over the railway track and the rerouting of a public footpath to bring it closer to a footbridge at Westbury Road.

The developer plans to overcome flooding concerns with a mix of swales and an attenuation feature, which would manage surface water run-off, and a foul water pumping station.

The site is on sloping land, but the developer insists it can build in such a way that will minimise the visual impact of the new houses.

A decision is expected by mid-April.

Pictured: looking across the site towards Cley Hill