Wiltshire Council wants to hear from residents on £75m for Chippenham

Wiltshire Council is holding a series of pop-up community events over the next two weeks to begin to raise awareness over plans for a new relief road to the east and south of Chippenham. Following the recent announcement of the successful bid for £75 million from the government's Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF), the council wants to hear what local residents think of their town and what the scheme might mean for them.

The events started with representatives attending Saturday's Enchanted Christmas in Chippenham and continue with a stand in Chippenham's local library today and tomorrow. Representatives from the project team will also hold pop-up events at the town's train station and superstores Morrisons and Sainsburys.

• Chippenham Library, November 25 and 26, 10am - 1pm
• Chippenham Train Station, November 28, 3.30pm - 5.30pm
• Sainsburys, Bath Road, Chippenham, SN14 0BJ, December 2, 10am - 12noon
• Morrisons, Cepen Park North, Chippenham, SN14 6UZ, December 2, 1pm - 3pm

Cllr Philip Whitehead, Leader of Wiltshire Council, said: "The money from HIF will enable us to build a road to bring long-overdue relief from Chippenham's severe traffic congestion problems. The road opens up land for new employment and housing development potential which provides funding for us to deliver other improvements in the town centre and beyond. It also provides development in a consistent, strategic way and support the potential for long-term, sustainable growth for the town. What we really want is to make sure we get this development right from the start and hearing what residents think is vital in achieving that goal." 

Although the scheme is at a very early stage, the council is committed to open, early engagement and are hoping to talk to as many members of the community as possible to gauge views from a wide range of people. 

"We have many reasons to be proud of Chippenham and this fund and its potential associated enhancements will only serve to bring better services, leisure facilities and further economic growth to the town," explains Cllr Whitehead. "Only those that live, work and play in Chippenham know what the town does well and where it can be improved. It's those people we want to engage, to ensure that we understand what is really needed and wanted, before we get down to too many specifics."

The development land unlocked by the HIF funded road could support up to 7,500 new homes in Chippenham plus at least 1 million sq ft of new commercial space and associated social and community facilities, over the next 25 plus years.  This new housing for Chippenham will be built at a rate similar to that achieved over the last 25 years and is currently being considered as part of the Local Plan review under way.

Additional benefits will include investment in Chippenham town centre and new facilities such as schools, health, open space, improved connectivity, cycling and walking routes, and additional road capacity to meet the increasing levels of traffic using them both now and in the future.

The road opens up land for new employment and housing development potential which provides funding for us to deliver other improvements in the town centre and beyond.