554 Canal Bridge, Semington, Trowbridge, BA14 6JT

1. 1.The proposed development, due to its location outside the defined settlement boundaries of Semington and Berryfield within the open countryside, represents an unsustainable form of development that is contrary to the spatial strategy set out in Core Policies 1, 2 and 15 of the Wiltshire Core Strategy. The proposal would result in the unjustified encroachment of residential development into the countryside and would fail to support a sustainable pattern of growth. The site is poorly related to services and facilities and future occupiers would be likely to rely predominantly on the private motor vehicle, contrary to Core Policies 60 and 61 of the Wiltshire Core Strategy and the aims of the National Planning Policy Framework. Furthermore, the proposal would erode the physical and visual separation between Berryfield and Semington, contrary to Policy 19 of the Joint Melksham Neighbourhood Plan, which seeks to maintain the separation between those settlements. The proposal would also fail to conserve the openness of the countryside and maintain the transition between settlement edge and countryside, contrary to Policy 18 of the Joint Melksham Neighbourhood Plan. When assessed against paragraph 11(d) of the National Planning Policy Framework, the adverse impacts of the development are considered to significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits.
2. 2.The proposed development would introduce built form, domestic curtilage and associated paraphernalia into an undeveloped parcel of agricultural land that contributes to the open and rural character of the area. The development would result in the urbanisation of the site and would harm the character and appearance of the countryside, which is characterised by open fields and limited built form. As such, the proposal is contrary to Core Policy 51 of the Wiltshire Core Strategy, Policy 18 of the Joint Melksham Neighbourhood Plan 2 and the aims of the National Planning Policy Framework, which seek to recognise and protect the intrinsic character and beauty of the countryside.

From the council's decision notice.

Postcode

BA14 6JT

Application type

Full planning permission

Scale / size

Small

Parish

Melksham Without CP

Date validated

22 April 2026

Consultation expiry

20 May 2026

Consultation end

20 May 2026

Target decision date

17 June 2026

Case officer

Lucie Turner

Statutory period

56 days

Documents

13