A FURTHER 300 new houses will be built in Westbury after a planning application was granted by a government inspector on Wednesday, subject to conditions.

The outline planning application for the 27.5-acre site north of Bitham Park was submitted to Wiltshire Council in October 2014 by planning consultants Amec Foster Wheeler on behalf of site owners Robert Hitchins Ltd.

Wiltshire councillors initially refused planning permission in March 2015, so the decision went to the Planning Inspectorate where it was overturned.

Cllr Ian Cunningham said: “I don’t totally object to new housing developments as there is a clear need for housing but Westbury seems to be getting lots of new houses with nothing being added to the infrastructure.

"We have only just had 300 houses approved down the road from this development and there are several others in the pipeline, so lack of infrastructure really does need to be addressed.

“Schools in Westbury are becoming overcrowded and it’s taking an average of six to eight weeks to see a doctor, which will only be made worse by this approval.

“It seems that any development which isn’t utterly crazy will be approved in order to satisfy the council’s five-year housing plan.

“Developments such as this one do bring small positives to the town but not enough to justify the amount of houses being built.”

Zoe Hill from the Planning Inspectorate ruled that the homes north of Bitham Park ‘would result in a significant boost to housing supply on land that is deliverable and achievable.’

Mrs Hill also said that the scheme would not harm the landscape or affect open views of the White Horse, and would conserve and enhance the current field pattern and hedgerows.

Technical Director for Amec Wheeler Foster, Neil Hall, said: “This proposal brings much-needed homes for the people of Westbury and we look forward to taking it forward.”