THE refusal of plans to build 33 homes in the corner of a golf course is being appealed.

Swindon Borough Council turned down an application which hoped to set up a small housing estate on Wrag Barn in Highworth – so the developers are fighting against this decision.

Bewley Homes Ltd is hoping to overturn this refusal for the new housing, which would also add internal roads, access routes, public open space, landscaping and other associated infrastructure to the Shrivenham Road site.

The hearing will be held at the borough council’s Euclid Street offices on August 24 from 10am.

Anyone wishing to attend as an observer or take an active part in the discussions in the hearing at the inspector’s discretion should contact the council’s case officer Sarah Smith on 01793 466292 by August 4.

Documents related to the appeal can be viewed on the council’s planning website – search application reference S/21/0015.

The borough refused the plans because the housing would be outside the settlement boundary of Highworth and would be separate from the “built form of the town”.

The planning committee was not impressed by the “poor design” of the housing and thought it was too far from services and facilities which the residents would only be able to access by car.

An infrastructure package to mitigate the impact of the development had not been secured by the developers through a planning obligation so as to meet the infrastructure needs arising from the development.

The local authority suggested that assessment and evaluation of potential archaeological interest on the site which had been carried out was inadequate, and little information had been submitted by Bewley Homes about the biodiversity net gain that could be achieved there.

Highworth Town Council had similar concerns and recommended that the plans be refused.

The Manners family built and manages the golf club and teamed up with the housebuilder to create the properties which, the application suggests, will be a vital to keeping the course financially viable.

The application said: ““Since the Wrag Barn Golf club was first established, the need to diversify the business has been pertinent, in order to secure additional sources of income to help support the wider club facilities.

“Revenue generated from the sale of the land will help support the improvement of existing facilities, including but not limited to car park surfacing, new course drainage, new course irrigation and the installation of top golf.”