Southwick Gypsy sites
Two separate applications for gypsy sites went to the West Wiltshire planning committee in June. One site was at the junction of Frome Road and Poplar Tree Lane, whilst the other was at Hoopers Pool.
The Poplar Tree Lane application was for a mobile home, dayroom and siting for one touring caravan. This was recommended for refusal by planning officers because of the danger involved in living next to the A361 with difficult accesses from Poplar Tree Lane onto both the main road and the Bradford Road at the other end of the lane.
The Hoopers Pool application was for the same set of facilites, but was recommended for permission with conditions.
Southwick parish council objected to both schemes, and Wiltshire Council received about 200 objections to the two applications.
About sixty Southwick residents attended the meeting, along with representatives of the applicants. The committee decided to refuse the Poplar Tree Lane application, and to defer a decision on Hoopers Pool pending a site visit and the receipt of more information on the planning status of the applicant.
The Hoopers Pool application then returned to the planning committee on July 11th, again with a recommendation that it be approved. However the committee still couldn't make its mind up and went for a further deferral pending the results of other planning applications in north and west Wiltshire. This application was subsequently withdrawn.