Wiltshire is set to welcome its largest new housing development after councillors approved plans for a 2,500-home neighbourhood known as Ashton Park, located southeast of Trowbridge.
This ambitious project will include 14 hectares of designated employment land, two primary schools, and an allocation for a secondary school. The development will be constructed in four phases: 350 homes in phase one, 375 in phase two, 725 in phase three, and 750 in phase four.
Twenty-six percent of the homes, approximately 650 units, will be affordable housing, addressing the local demand. The developers, Ashton Park Trowbridge Ltd and Persimmon Homes Ltd, have committed over £25 million toward essential services. This investment covers early years provision and schools (£14 million), public transportation enhancements including a progressive bus service (£1.1 million), as well as healthcare and dental facilities (£3.4 million).
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Additional funds will support waste collection and recycling (£250,000), the purchase of a refuse collection vehicle (£225,000), and public art initiatives (£150,000). The developers will also fund a new £35.5 million relief road, redirecting the A350 to ease traffic through the village of West Ashton and improve access to the new homes.
First discussed by Wiltshire Council in 2018, the project faced delays due to legal challenges, but agreements are now in place for construction to begin. House builders Persimmon and Barratt Redrow, who share development responsibilities equally, anticipate the project could take 10 to 15 years to complete fully.
Key infrastructure, such as the relief road, will commence construction only after certain occupancy milestones are met. The development’s schooling provision is designed to serve Ashton Park and neighboring smaller developments, Elm Grove and Elizabeth Way. While land and infrastructure are prepared for a secondary school, its construction remains uncertain due to declining birth rates and available capacity at existing schools John of Gaunt and Clarendon.
Councillors expressed disappointment over the lack of a new secondary school, citing concerns about students needing to travel across Trowbridge for education. Additionally, while the relief road will reduce traffic through West Ashton, questions remain about its impact on congestion at the busy Yarnbrook Roundabout.
Affordable housing targets fall just short of the council’s 30 percent goal. The plan calls for 20 percent affordable homes in the first 500 units, 25 percent in the next 500, and 30 percent in the remaining homes. To compensate, the developers will contribute an additional £5.4 million toward offsite affordable or social housing elsewhere in Trowbridge.
John Gantlett, Land and Planning Director for Persimmon Homes Wessex, welcomed the approval, highlighting the project’s benefits including employment land, affordable homes, and the new relief road. Councillor Adrian Foster, Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning, praised the comprehensive approach, noting the inclusion of active travel options, schools, local centres, and improved public transport.
Outline planning permission has been granted, allowing the developers to proceed to detailed planning stages where design, access, and landscaping will be finalized.