A PLAN to build more than a dozen woodland homes in Salisbury, which had been labelled “vandalistic” by locals, is set to be decided next week.

Put forward by developer PNH Properties, the proposal looks to turn an area of woodland, off Bishops Drive in East Harham, into a new community.

However, for the past three decades Wiltshire Council planners have rebuffed several schemes looking to develop the green space.

Salisbury Journal:

Yet, PNH believes its plan to be different, with illustrations showing the homes would have “living roofs”, and would incorporate the woodland into the new neighbourhood.

A decision is set to be made on Monday.

However, one of the key concerns raised by neighbours is that around 130 trees would be felled to make way for the homes.

As reported, this resulted in the creation of a committee, which was set up to fight the plans.

Salisbury Journal:

“There are many people opposed to this development,” Mr Smith said previous.

“The major objection is that it takes away almost half of the woodland.

“In some respects, their proposal is very laudable as it provides more affordable homes for the area, but the issue here is that in doing this they’re removing a lot of trees.

“But, from a Wiltshire Council local plan point of view, there’s actually no more affordable homes, so this is just a speculative venture.”

Salisbury Journal:

Mr Smith added: “The problem is that it is an ill-conceived plan; to cut down half of the trees in the woodland is a very vandalistic approach.”

Nevertheless, the applicant says it wants to use the site to “increase biodiversity”, not destroy it.

In its planning statement to the council, it notes under a header of “Vision” that “the woodland is to be reinstated as native woodland offering maximum benefit to wildlife, whilst contributing to the corridors and wildlife refuge lacking south of the northern scarp of Harnham Hill”.

A woodland management scheme is also proposed.