Work has now started on the extension to Adcroft Surgery to accommodate the Bradford Road Practice, new access road of Seymour Road now under construction. see Wiltshire Times tihs week.  Planning application details here :
http://unidoc.wiltshire.gov.uk/UniDoc/Document/Search/DSA,837087

The Pavilions Trowbridge - The battle for the Article 4 Direction

Wiltshire Council's Article 4 Direction to prevent The Pavilions being turned into flats is now with the Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) who can decide to order the Council to withdraw the Direction.  The confirmation of the Article 4 Direction is strongly supported locally and by our MP and the Parish Council.  Below is  a summary of Transforming Trowbridge's response to the DCLG.  The potential owners of the site have hired a barrister to make their case and this is referred to in our response.

Article 4 Direction – The Pavilions White Horse Business Park Trowbridge
You will see from the website we are a private sector led partnership, supported by the largest businesses in Trowbridge, committed to winning investment and creating jobs in Trowbridge at a time when the town is expanding rapidly.

You can see from the ‘Opportunities’ page of our website that we have identified the building the subject of the Article 4 Direction as one of our priorities

The White Horse Business Park is the most important, and high profile, employment site in the town.  Its loss to residential accommodation would be disastrous.

 We have been shown a copy of the submission made to you by the barrister on behalf of Three Pavilions Ltd and we want to record our concerns about the conclusions drawn by that submission.

Wiltshire Council has made this Direction, because, and only because, the development to which it relates is prejudicial to the proper planning of the area.  It is absolutely necessary to protect the wellbeing of the area.  The potential harm that the direction is intended to prevent should be clearly addressed has been identified.  It is the loss of the most important employment opportunity in the town

 

(Note the words in italics are quotations from National Planning Guidance)

The sophistry in the barrister's submission cannot escape these obvious conclusions.  Whilst the building has been empty for several years now, this was the case when Barclays Bank left in the nineties and Virgin Mobile arrived several years later and became Wiltshire’s largest employer.  Transforming Trowbridge have been very disappointed with the marketing of the building and we are now involved in taking initiatives to draw the availability of the building to, in particular, the call centre industry.

The Government’s motivation for giving Permitted Development rights was surely not intended to transform Trowbridge’s most prestigious Business Park into a residential area when local housing need is being met through the Wiltshire Core Strategy. Within a few hundred yards of The Pavilions, the Core Strategy has identified a development site - Ashton Park Urban Extension - that will provide some 2600 dwellings (30% affordable) with a suitable mix of housing in line with Core Policies 45 and 46. With the large number of new residents these homes will attract, the pressing need will be for an increased supply of employment opportunities. Trowbridge, being Wiltshire’s County Town, with excellent transport connections, has for many years functioned as a major employment location for a wide catchment area. Significant housing proposals in all the neighbouring market towns will inevitably result in even higher demand for more jobs. The loss of a major employment site at such a critical time, when all efforts are being directed at building expanded, balanced communities is unthinkable.         

We trust that the Secretary of State will consider it is inappropriate to intervene in this matter.  It is essentially a local issue.

 

 

 

The Pavilions under threat from a cynical Investment Company.

The article below appeared in the Bath Chronicle last week. 

Transforming Trowbridge has urged Wiltshire Council to confirm the Article 4 Direction.  Mr Gutwirth's comments, about the level of compensation which may be payable should the Direction not be confirmed, are considered to be totally inaccurate. 

The Pavilions remain the best opportunity to attract new employers to Trowbridge. The County Town needs jobs not homes.  There are many examples of local authorities making Article 4 Directions to protect their most important employment opportunities and we are pleased that Wiltshire Council appear to be doing the same.

The White Horse Business Park is Trowbridge' s most important job-creating investment opportunity and it must be protected.  The new owners have made no effort to secure tenants for this important building preferring instead to exploit a loophole in the General Development Order to change the use of the building to residential in order to turn a quick profit with no thought for Trowbridge's best interests.

Very sad!

Come on Wiltshire Council confirm the Direction and we will work with you to identify some business investors and create some jobs.

Wiltshire Council facing compensation pay out over vacant office space plans

By James Crawley  |  Posted: May 11, 2016

Residents in Trowbridge have until Thursday (May 19) to have their say on plans to turn a vacant office block into 98 apartments.

Wiltshire Council has blocked the proposals put forward by Ashbourne Investments Limited, which included a tennis court and gym at The Pavilions on the White Horse Business Park, but may now have to pay compensation to the building owners.

The Government allows changes of use from office to residential without the requirement of formal approval where the space is not being used for its intended purpose.

Wiltshire Council is now facing the prospect of forking out millions of pounds in compensation, according to the building's owners, having passed an Article 4 Direction. This removes the developer's rights to carry out their proposals.

The plans to transform the vacant buildings was submitted to the local authority in March.

However they were branded a "disaster" by a group known as Transforming Trowbridge.

Ashbourne Investments Ltd managing director, Mike Gutwirth, said: "We haven't come across a single council in the UK that has taken this drastic measures, mainly due to the significant compensations which they may be liable for.

Mr Gutwirth added: "Unless the council reconsiders their position, not only have they missed out on turning a large vacant property (which has been empty for years) into something productive, they would potentially be liable for millions of pounds in compensation. Needless to say this will be a huge strain on the already tight public coffers."

As a result of the Article 4, the applicant must apply for full planning permission.

Speaking to the Wiltshire Times, chairman of North Bradley parish council councillor Roger Evans said: "We don't always agree with Wiltshire Council but it is very nice to have that feeling of a big brother helping us out. We have got to work together on this and the more the council do to help the community the better."

Community Governance Review consultation meeting – 11 May 2016

 

Submission by Transforming Trowbridge

Thank you for the opportunity to make representations, on behalf of Transforming Trowbridge, on this most important subject.

Transforming Trowbridge is a private sector led partnership focussed on promoting, facilitating and enabling investment opportunities in Wiltshire’s County Town.

We have adopted a number of priorities one of which is to support the initiative to enlarge the town's boundaries.

It is important that Trowbridge grows to strengthen its principal service centre role and deliver improved infrastructure and facilities in the town. Sustainable growth with employment development alongside new housing is needed, both within the central area of the town and in the form of an urban extension, which is fully integrated with the town centre.

These words are not mine, rather those of the Wiltshire Core Strategy.

The inclusion within the town boundary of the allocated and built housing sites and employment land close to the town is an imperative to enable resource to become available for investment in the social, economic and environmental aspects of the town.  This is so important when promoting the area to potential investors.

I contend that the adoption of the proposal to extend the town boundaries is in the best interests not just of the town, but also of Wiltshire Council and the parishes whose size will be reduced.

In a large unitary county such as Wiltshire, there is significant advantage in using the review process to differentiate between urban and rural populations.  West Ashton, for example, is a parish with a distinct identity e.g. church, village hall, school.  In the next few years the parish will be swamped by development to the north of the A350.  Already there are a significant number of houses closer to Tesco in Trowbridge than West Ashton Village Hall.  The people who live in those houses relate to Trowbridge as will those who occupy the proposed developments and see or will see themselves as part of the Trowbridge community.  The residents will say they live in Trowbridge (not West Ashton).  The same arguments will be true for much of the development in other parishes.

Wiltshire Council by its own planning policies has identified the Trowbridge  community area as a major growth area.  Having done this, it inevitably follows that this review must take account of this and include significant areas of that allocation within the town.  The development sites have been identified because (and only because) they are adjacent to Trowbridge.

Enabling Trowbridge to grow will enable Wiltshire Council to delegate significant activities and services to the Town Council who will then have significant additional resources to improve and provide a wide range of social and environmental facilities.

I understand that some may wish to defend the boundaries of the existing parishes but this a point of view based on emotion rather than logic.

Wiltshire Council is required to carry out the review reflecting the identities and interests of the communities in the area.

Strategically, in a large (still mainly) rural unitary authority it is in the best interest of Wiltshire Council to develop strong urban centres which can take care of themselves, provide services and lead initiatives to encourage investment.

Transforming Trowbridge trust that Wiltshire Council will make a positive decision and deliver an expanded and stronger County Town

Meeting with new owners of the former Bowyers' site today to learn about their exciting plans for investment in Trowbridge. Innoxmills.

Important Community Governance Review meeting - 11 May

One of Transforming Trowbridge’s priorities is to support the initiative led by Trowbridge Town Council to extend the boundaries of the town.  Wiltshire Council is currently engaged on a boundary review exercise and the next Community Governance Review public consultation for the Trowbridge Area is being held at County Hall on Wednesday 11^th May at 6:30pm.

This will be the last opportunity for people to have their say on the future of Trowbridge and ensure that the whole town can be represented by a single town council, with the ability to provide a full range of services and facilities for the whole community. 

 
Wiltshire Council will be making a final decision on the town boundary at its meeting on Tuesday 12^th July.

Transforming Trowbridge strongly supports the Town Council’s request that existing and new developments on the edge of the town should be included in a revised town boundary for Trowbridge and will be attending this public consultation meeting.

 
Wiltshire is a geographically large unitary authority and, in that context, it is logical to enlarge the major towns in the County so they have the resources to deliver strong local governance and services. This is the message we will convey at the meeting.

apetito wins Queen's Award for the second time

Congratulations to apetito, one of Transforming Trowbridge’s business supporters, who have  been awarded The Queen’s Award for Enterprise in Innovation, for the second time.

The company has once against been recognise for its innovation leading to commercial success  - this time for its work in pioneering texture modified meals for those living with dysphagia.

Paul Freeston, chief executive of apetito, said: “We are proud, honored and delighted to have been recognised for a second time in the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in Innovation and it is testament to the hard work, dedication and vision of our entire team. 

“All of us at apetito are passionate about ‘making a real difference’ to people’s lives and we believe that our softer foods range is the very best of its type across the world.”

Well done apetito.