THE future of housing developments across Wiltshire hangs in the balance as a developer who wants to build 100 homes in Southwick is challenging Wiltshire Council’s five-year housing land supply. There are fears that if the village development is allowed to go ahead the floodgates will open for thousands of other homes to be built on fields across the county. Redrow Homes had its application to build the homes near Blind Lane turned down by Wiltshire Council in July. The plan was deemed to be too big for the village’s roads and school to deal with and it would have taken up open countryside. Now the housing giant is trying to get the plans approved via the Planning Inspectorate, challenging the validity of Wiltshire Council’s five-year housing land supply, saying houses are not being built quickly enough. Chairman of the Southwick Residents Association, John Eaton, pictured right, worries that if the ruling is overturned, it would open the way for developers to building houses wherever they want. “If this was successful, it could be an unmitigated disaster for the whole of Wiltshire,” said Mr Eaton, who is also a Southwick parish councillor. “I think Redrow are acting like a Trojan horse. I do not know if this will get overturned, but a lot of the time developers find a way to get what they want and, if that happens here, that is a terrifying prospect. “Not only will Blind Lane and Southwick be under threat, the whole county could suffer a similar fate.“Green spaces could be ripped up, which more people are calling for, and if the council bow to the pressure of keeping up with the government’s housing requirements, that could break the dam. “I have been in contact with members of the Campaign to Protect Rural England charity, who told me they have seen this tactic before. I am praying Wiltshire Council have a robust housing land supply in place. “This is all predicated on the developer keeping up with their building programme but are they being built at the correct rate? If they fall behind, that undermines Wiltshire Council’s figures. “The authority do not have any control over the rate of house building. They cannot tell the builder to up their game and this is where Redrow think they can swoop in.” A Wiltshire Council spokesman said: “We treat every application individually, taking into account local and national planning policy. A five-year land supply is not the only consideration when making a decision. “Applicants have the right to appeal to the Planning Inspectorate if they are not satisfied with the outcome.”
Redrow is challenging Wiltshire Council's five-year housing land supply after the authority turned down a planning application. The housing giant wanted to build thousands properties near Blind Lane in Southwick but the council rejected the plan, saying the development was too big for the area and would have taken up open countryside. Redrow is now trying to get planning permission through the Planning Inspectorate, challenging the validity of the local authority's five-year housing land supply, arguing homes are not being built fast enough. Campaigners fear if the challenge is successful they will have little say over future developments.