Roundway parish councillor Andy Geddes was the first person in Devizes to receive the news of the Coate Bridge appeal decision.

He could hardly believe what he was reading when a letter from the Department of Communities and Local Government revealed developers would not be allowed to build 350 homes on farmland off Windsor Drive, Devizes.

He said: “My first reaction was ‘wow’, then I had to stop myself jumping in the air and start ringing people.”

Mr Geddes, who is chairman of the planning committee on the parish council, quickly realised he was the first with the news and the bearer of glad tidings.

He said: “It was fantastic to be able to give people such great news. It is something Devizes Town Council, Roundway Parish Council and Bishops Cannings Parish Council have worked so hard to achieve.”

Devizes Town Council deputy town clerk Simon Fisher said: “Andy rang me and it was the first I knew of it. Our official notification didn’t arrive until later. It really is the best news and shows how important the Devizes area neighbourhood plan really is.”

The decision report reveals that planning inspector John Felgate, who chaired the four day hearing in April, had recommended the appeal should have been allowed and planning permission granted.

But he went on to say: “The Secretary of State disagrees with the inspector’s conclusions and recommendation. He has decided to dismiss the appeal and refuse planning permission.”

He decided to give greater weight to the Devizes area neighbourhood plan than the inspector and the report says: “He considers it appropriate to give substantial weight to the proposal’s non-conformity with the current draft DANP.

“In reaching this view the Secretary of State has had regard to the stage of preparation of the DANP, the content of the consultation statement, the quality and effectiveness of the three consultations carried out prior to submission of the DANP to the local authority, the evidence of local support for the DANP and the fact that the appeal site came second to bottom in the site preference exercise.”

Devizes town councillor Judy Rose and Roundway Parish Council chairman Chris Callow now believe that even if developers Mactaggart and Mickel were to submit a revised scheme for the land it would be turned down.

No one from Mactaggart was available for comment.

TIME LINE

The battle to prevent Glasgow-based developers Mactaggart and Mickel 
building on 46 acres of land next to Coate Bridge in Devizes started in the 
summer of 2011.
Consultations were 
held with Devizes Town Council and parish councils to gauge public opinion. Immediately there was an outcry about traffic on nearby London Road and building on open fields.

  • December 8, 2012, a mass protest against plans for the homes was held on the Green in Devizes.
  • February, 2013, Mactaggart and Mickel submit plans to Wiltshire Council to build 350 houses at Coate Bridge.
  • September 27, 2013, Wiltshire Council turns down the plan.
  • January 24, 2014, the developer re-submits plans with slight amendment.
  • February 12, 2014, Wiltshire Council again rejects the plans.
  • April 8 to April 11, public inquiry held.
  •  October 28, 2014, the appeal is rejected after Communities Secretary Eric Pickles intervened.