The Southern Area Planning Committee of Wiltshire Council was scheduled to consider two planning applications. One application was for full planning permission for a self-build detached dwelling at Buxbury Billet, Sutton Mandeville, and the other was for the construction of two affordable houses at Land at Top Lane, Stourton. The committee was also scheduled to receive updates on planning appeals.

Buxbury Billet, Sutton Mandeville

The committee was scheduled to consider an application for full planning permission for a self-build detached dwelling at Buxbury Billet, Sutton Mandeville, SP3 5NL. The proposal included hard and soft landscaping and associated works. The site is located outside any defined settlement boundary and within the Cranborne Chase National Landscape. The report pack indicated that officers were recommending refusal of the application.

The report highlighted that the site contains the remains of a dilapidated structure, understood to have originated as a First World War military hut. This structure had been occupied as a dwelling historically up until approximately 1969, but the report stated that the previous residential use had been abandoned many decades ago and the building had fallen into a derelict and uninhabitable condition. Officers considered that the proposal would result in a new, isolated dwelling in the open countryside, which would fail to conserve or enhance the rural character and scenic qualities of the National Landscape. It was also noted that future occupiers would be heavily reliant on private motor vehicles, leading to an unsustainable pattern of development.

The report also detailed that the application was for a self-build dwelling, which would diversify the housing market and increase consumer choice. While this aspect was acknowledged as a benefit, officers considered it to be of limited weight due to the location and other policy conflicts. The proposal was also noted to be within the Chilmark Quarries Bats Special Area of Conservation (SAC) catchment and the River Avon SAC catchment, with ecological and drainage conditions being recommended if permission were to be granted.

Land at Top Lane, Stourton

The committee was also scheduled to consider an application for the construction of two affordable houses with associated access and parking area at Land at Top Lane, Stourton, Warminster, BA12 6QA. The report pack indicated that officers were recommending refusal of this application.

The proposal was for two two-bedroom semi-detached single-storey dwellings. The site is located in the open countryside and within the Cranborne Chase National Landscape. A key issue was whether the proposal met the criteria for a rural exception site for affordable housing. The report indicated that officers were not satisfied that a current local affordable housing need had been robustly demonstrated, nor that the proposed dwellings would constitute affordable housing as defined by national policy, or that they would remain available in perpetuity. Concerns were also raised about the site's relationship to existing settlements and the adequacy of the proposed private amenity space for future occupiers.

The report noted that while the site is within the Cranborne Chase National Landscape, a designated area where substantial weight is placed on conserving and enhancing natural beauty, the proposal had not satisfactorily demonstrated how it would do so. The proposed development was considered to introduce an urbanising form of development into the countryside. The Council's Highways department had also raised an objection on transport sustainability grounds, stating that future residents would be heavily reliant on private motor vehicles.

Planning Appeals and Updates

The committee was scheduled to receive details of completed and pending planning appeals. The report pack included information on several appeals, including decisions on applications relating to Flint Cottage in Netton, Beehive Cottage in Salisbury, and the installation of BT Street Hubs in Salisbury. The appeal decisions indicated that some applications were allowed with conditions, while others were dismissed. For example, an appeal for a dwelling at Flint Cottage was allowed, subject to conditions, while appeals for BT Street Hubs were dismissed due to their adverse impact on the character and appearance of the area.