The owners of the former Co-op store on Mill Street have written to Wiltshire Council urging immediate permission to demolish the long-vacant building, following repeated break-ins, vandalism and fires.
Barker Care Ltd, which purchased the site last year, says the building has become increasingly unsafe after a surge in trespassing and damage by local youths. The company is currently preparing plans to redevelop the site as a residential care home.
In a letter to the council’s planning officer, the applicant said the building has become a “nuisance for the people of Calne”, with nearby residents frequently contacting police to report break-ins and anti-social behaviour.
“The existing site is subject to increasing levels of unauthorised entry and vandalism,” the letter reads. “We are constantly securing the site and taking measures to try and prevent entry, but this is not an easy job. The continued vandalism is drawing a lot of calls to the police from distressed residents living nearby.”
The developer added that fires have been lit inside the building, posing a potential risk to neighbouring properties - including the nearby church on Church Street.
According to Barker Care, residents recently held a meeting with police and the company to raise concerns about safety at the site, and are expected to write to the council supporting early demolition.
Although the firm is still finalising designs and reports for the proposed care home, it insists there is “no desire to reopen the site as a retail store” and that it is not in its interests to leave the land empty for long.
The demolition application, first submitted in February, remains under consideration by Wiltshire Council.
Cllr Adrian Foster, Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning, Development Management and Housing, said: “The application remains under active consideration, and no final decision has been reached at this time. As such, it would be inappropriate to provide further comment. Matters relating to site security are the responsibility of the property owners.”
Want to know what’s on in Calne? Visit our local events page for listings and to find out how to add your own events for free. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to keep up with all the latest news. Have you got a story for us? Email editor@calnenews.com
