Concerns raised over new housing development in Yatton Keynell
Local parish council and ward member express fears over village expansion
A dispute has erupted regarding the proposed construction of 55 new homes near Yatton Keynell, a site previously identified as an accident hotspot.
Cotswolds Homes is planning to develop the houses on a four-hectare plot located off Biddestone Lane, south west of Yatton Keynell village.
The parish council has voiced objections, stating they were not consulted on the matter and highlighting the narrow lane leading to an accident-prone junction.
According to the parish council's letter to Wiltshire Council, ‘The applicant did not engage with the parish council. This has continued, and no engagement has taken place to address the concerns raised by the parish council and residents.’
They are worried about the projected traffic increase, suggesting that ‘the anticipated number of car journeys stated by the applicant is misleading’ given that there are plans for 135 parking spaces on-site.
The junction with the A420 is described as a ‘collision black spot’, with police recording two injury incidents in 2021 and three in 2022, although frequent non-injury collisions go unrecorded.
Jon Atkey, Wiltshire Council ward member, has called for the planning application to be reviewed by elected councillors, raising issues about the poor access and width of Biddestone Lane.
Despite these concerns, Cotswolds Homes asserts that the primary amenities such as By Brook Valley Primary School, the village’s GP surgery, pub, café, and store are all within a five- to 10-minute walk.
The developer is proposing a mixed housing scheme that includes 22 affordable homes. A public consultation in 2024 apparently had 47 attendees and involved 338 households in an online survey.