The Southern Area Planning Committee of Wiltshire Council is scheduled to convene on Thursday 18 June 2026. The meeting's agenda includes a discussion on a proposed industrial development at Solstice Park, Amesbury, and a proposal to extinguish a public footpath in Fovant.

Solstice Park Development in Amesbury

A significant item on the agenda is a full planning application for four industrial units at Land to the South of Sunrise Way, Solstice Park, Amesbury, SP4 7QA. The proposed development includes Use Class E(g)(iii), B2, and B8 uses, alongside associated access, parking, and landscaping. This application is being brought before the committee at the request of the Local Division Member, Cllr Kevin Asplin, due to concerns about the relationship between the proposed development and adjoining properties.

The report pack details the history of Solstice Park, noting its allocation as a Principal Employment Area in the Wiltshire Core Strategy. The proposed units, described as industrial in nature with ancillary office space, would be constructed with steel frames and metal cladding. Unit 15, the largest of the four, is planned to be 15.2 metres high.

Concerns have been raised by Amesbury Town Council and numerous local residents regarding the scale and design of Unit 15, its proximity to the Beverley Hills Park homes, and potential impacts on noise, dust, vibration, and land stability. Residents have expressed worries about the structural integrity of their park homes, which are noted as being of non-standard construction and not having deep foundations. They also highlight increased traffic, potential for 24/7 operations, and the impact on their quality of life and health, particularly for elderly and vulnerable residents.

Technical consultees, including Wiltshire Council's Public Protection team, have reviewed the submitted noise, vibration, and ecological reports. While acknowledging the amenity concerns, officers believe that potential impacts can be mitigated through planning conditions, such as the implementation of acoustic barriers, restrictions on construction hours, and a Construction Vibration Management Plan. National Highways and Active Travel England have raised no objections, subject to conditions. The proposal is considered to align with the principle of development within a designated Principal Employment Area, and officers believe the benefits of employment creation outweigh the limited adverse impacts, provided appropriate conditions are met.

Extinguishment of Fovant Footpath No. 20

The committee is also scheduled to consider The Wiltshire Council Parish of Fovant Path no.20 Extinguishment and Definitive Map and Statement Modification Order 2025 . This proposal concerns the potential extinguishment of Footpath FOVA 20, which runs between Dinton Road and Tisbury Road in Fovant. The report details that the path has reportedly been obstructed and unused since the 1960s.

The proposal is being considered under Section 118 of the Highways Act 1980, which allows for the stopping up of footpaths if they are deemed not needed for public use . The report outlines that the path leads through the garden of a private property, Ashbrook.

Objections have been received from Fovant Parish Council and several residents, who argue that the path is needed for pedestrian safety, particularly to avoid a dangerous junction at the War Memorial where Tisbury Road and Dinton Road converge. They contend that the non-use of the path is due to unlawful obstruction and that temporary circumstances preventing use should be disregarded under the Highways Act 1980. Concerns have also been raised about the Council's historical handling of the path's obstruction.

Wiltshire Council officers, however, consider that the legal tests for extinguishment are met, arguing that the path is not needed for public use . They highlight the path's close proximity to private property, the limited benefit it offers to the wider rights of way network, and the potential safety concerns at its junction with Dinton Road. The DEFRA Presumptions Guidance is also referenced, suggesting a predisposition to extinguish paths that pass through private gardens if legal tests are met, balancing landowner interests against public impact. The Countryside Access Officers support the extinguishment, citing the path's apparent lack of use, poor access and visibility onto Dinton Road, and the significant work required to make it accessible.

The committee will need to consider objections and representations received, weighing the arguments for pedestrian safety against the impact on the landowner and the legal tests for extinguishment.

Other Agenda Items

The committee will also receive details of planning appeals and updates. The minutes of the previous meeting, held on Thursday 23 April 2026, are also scheduled for approval.