Hot TOPICS 
Gypsy Yes or No in a fortnight
(April 29, 2015)The 'Coldharbour' gypsy homes plan countdown has two weeks left to run as the romany community, the MP seeking re-election, nearby residents and consultees, await a meeting of the county council.
Members of the western area planning committee have been asked by dual-hatted town and unitary councillor Pip Ridout to take the decision away from county hall officers if they give approval.
Justifying her power to 'call in' the proposal for the mobile homes on land along Bath Road, having discussed the application with the case officer, the councillor was not short of words.
Crossing out the words 'scale of development' the ward councillor wrote 'flooding' and totally inappropriate' in big black capital letters.
'Visual impact upon the surrounding area, relationship to adjoining properties, design and general appearance (with bulk and height crossed out), car parking, and environment/ highway impact heavily underlined' all ticked boxes for the west ward councillor.
Not satisfied with that the words 'Totally inappropriate, o/s settlement boundary etc etc, on flood plain' were scrawled on a spare piece of the form.
The plan for the new site for Gypsy mobile homes with day rooms, space for four touring caravans, and a new access has drawn almost universal objection including the town council and local MP.
The headmaster at the fee-paying Warminster School has also objected expressing concerns about extra traffic in an area used on a daily basis for puplis to go to the sports field along Coldharbour.
The planning application is supported by one document that includes a copy of a recent planning appeal decision at Dilton Marsh which ruled in favour of the plan for Gypsy homes.
There the main issues were the proposed change of use of the land and the effect of the proposal on highway safety.
The planning file at county hall reveals that the decision date has now been settled on.
Residents opposed, and locals who know the applicant, are looking daily for the officer recommendation as the countdown continues to the meeting in Trowbridge arranged for Wednesday 13th May 2015.
* See also previous hot snippet 10 April