Fresh proposals have been unveiled for a major housing development at Penn Hill in Calne — the same site that drew widespread objections when an application was first submitted in 2023.
The new plans, published on pennhillcalne.co.uk, outline a vision for up to 205 homes alongside 0.75 hectares of employment land, orchards, allotments and wildflower meadows.
Developer Castlewood Properties Ventures, a family-run company, say "We are bringing forward an outline planning application for 205 homes, 30% of which would be affordable. In 2022 a previous planning application was submitted and then withdrawn, and this new application is an evolution of those plans, shaped by the feedback received three years ago."
The Penn Hill site has been under consideration for several years. The first concept for housing was proposed in 2022, followed by a formal planning application to Wiltshire Council in 2023 (reference PL/2023/07216). That submission - for 205 homes and associated works - sparked a strong response from local residents and councillors, who said Calne could not sustain further large-scale development without better infrastructure and public services.
According to the developer’s latest consultation material, the new plans incorporate several notable design changes intended to address feedback from the community and statutory consultees:
-
Reduced housing numbers – the scheme has been scaled back from an earlier concept of 240 homes to up to 205.
-
Access revisions – the southern access point will now be pedestrian and cycle-only, with just one vehicular entrance serving the site.
-
Improved cycling links – new routes would aim to connect Sandpit Road and Oxford Road to better support active travel.
-
Increased green buffer – the development has been pulled back from the south-east corner, creating additional open space and landscaping.
-
Protection of Public Rights of Way – adjustments to the main internal street are designed to safeguard existing footpaths.
-
More allotments – the layout now includes extra allotment provision for both new and existing residents.
-
Revised drainage design – a smaller western basin and reliance on the eastern basin for run-off form part of an “evolved” sustainable drainage system.
When the outline application was first submitted in 2023, Calne Town Council’s Planning, Licensing and Highways Committee raised formal objections, arguing that the town was already struggling to meet the Core Strategy’s definition of a “sustainable market town.” Councillors cited a lack of employment opportunities following local job losses and the closure of major retailers such as Co-op and M&Co.
Their objection also highlighted problems with water and sewage infrastructure, including flooding on the Regents Park estate, and the continued difficulty residents face accessing GP and dental care.
Residents can view and comment on the current consultation at pennhillcalne.co.uk or by searching PL/2023/07216 on Wiltshire Council’s planning portal. Closing date for feedback is 7th November 2025.
*image credit Castlewood Properties Ventures
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 or contact us here.
