Explore Melksham’s adopted Neighbourhood Plan, developed collaboratively by Melksham Town Council and Melksham without Parish Council. This plan outlines policies for sustainable development, housing, infrastructure, and climate action reflecting community priorities through extensive consultation. Access the full document, supporting materials, and learn how to get involved: NHP 888 A2.
Joint Melksham Neighbourhood Plan 2 – Examination Milestone
Working together with the community, Melksham Town and Melksham Without Parish Councils have updated the Joint Melksham Neighbourhood Plan (JMNP) to look ahead to 2038. The second edition of our Plan has successfully completed its independent examination, a major milestone on its road to coming into force and giving local voices more legal clout in the planning system.
The JMNP2 independent Examiner, Andrew Ashcroft said;
“The Plan is an excellent example of a neighbourhood plan review. It seeks to bring the Plan up-to-date. It includes a variety of policies and identifies positive and sustainable development.”
The updated plan, builds upon the first edition of the JMNP, which was voted on and adopted in July 2021. The second edition addresses the community’s prioritised and updated issues, including regenerating the Cooper Tires site and supporting town centre businesses, delivering more affordable housing choice, protecting our countryside and local green spaces, and stepping towards a zero carbon Melksham.
You spoke. We listened.
JMNP2 has been developed through thorough and extensive community involvement and consultations in 2023 and 2024. The valuable feedback gathered from residents and stakeholders has been thoughtfully integrated to ensure the plan genuinely reflects local needs and aspirations. The plan is robustly supported by a comprehensive evidence base that includes a detailed record of how JMNP2 has responded.
Independently examined and evidence based.
In total, your Neighbourhood Plan sets out 21 bespoke local policies on design quality, sustainability, affordable housing, green space provision, and infrastructure contributions for Melksham town and the surrounding rural areas. They are evidence backed, tested through independent examination, and shown to be a positive way to directly shape the future of our town, villages, and countryside.
Your Plan conserves and protects 🌳
✅Green spaces: 49 important local green areas are given the highest possible level of protection. It means that, like protected green belts, it’s very difficult to build on them, ensuring they stay green and open for everyone to enjoy, for nature, or for their special character.
✅Countryside between villages and the town: Our plan identifies and gives additional local protection to important areas of countryside to protect the setting of our town and villages and ensure they don’t merge into one big built-up area. We want to make sure you can still tell where one place ends and the next begins.
✅Local heritage: The plan includes a ‘local list’ that provides increased protection to historic features which, while not statutorily listed, are considered significant to the local heritage of the area.
✅Natural environment: Bespoke targets for increased tree coverage for the area are introduced alongside policies to protect the various elements of our natural environment. Sustainable design and construction, renewable energy, and flood risk management policies contribute to the long-term conservation of the environment and resilience against environmental and climate change impacts.
Your Plan helps deliver plan-led, sustainable development 🏡
✅Brownfield first: A core objective of the plan is prioritisation of maximising the use of brownfield land. It allocates nearly 14 hectares (c17 football pitches) of vacant land at Cooper Tires and the Old Library, to promote the creation of homes, jobs, and a vibrant town centre.
✅Managed growth on green fields: Outside of the town, the plan aims to preserve the distinct identities of Shaw and Whitley villages whilst facilitating the delivery of much needed smaller and more affordable homes, including bungalows.
✅Reduced risk of speculative development: This is a significant advantage. Having an adopted Neighbourhood Plan with allocated sites gives the community and the Local Planning Authority more control over where development happens for the next 5 years.
Your Plan. Your vote. It’s important for Melksham’s future!
Having successfully navigated the independent examination, the Joint Melksham Neighbourhood Plan 2 is now poised to proceed to a local referendum. Only upon a successful referendum will the plan be officially adopted, superseding the first edition and providing an updated, clear framework, with the same legal status as the Wiltshire Local Plan, for future development in the area.