Wiltshire Council approves 112 homes for Melksham Upside site

Wiltshire Council has given the go-ahead for 112 homes at the Upside site in Melksham, ending nearly four years of waiting after the application was submitted in 2022. The approval clears the way for demolition of disused buildings on a vacant scrapyard site between South Brook, the railway line and Bath Road.

The plan sets out 30% affordable homes, along with public open spaces, footpaths, cycleways and 675 sqm of flexible employment or commercial space. It also includes one and two-bed apartments and two, three and four-bed houses.

Upside Melksham plans

Stantonbury Building and Development Company described the site as “unsightly” and said it “does not leave a good first impression” near the centre of Melksham. The developer said, “Redevelopment of the site provides the opportunity to open up the site and integrate it into the surrounding area,” and said houses would face into the development rather than outwards to the road and railway track.

The company also said it intends to create a public open space on the bank of the river. The application would add a footpath between Foundary Road and the railway station, giving the site a direct pedestrian route into the area around the station.

Wiltshire Council approval

The approved scheme turns a vacant scrapyard with disused buildings into a housing-led redevelopment near Melksham town centre. The mix of housing types and the commercial space mean the site is not being treated as housing alone, but as a wider rebuild of the plot around South Brook and the railway line.

For nearby residents and people moving through the area, the practical change is straightforward: the site can now move from plan to construction. The approved layout brings homes, open space and walking and cycling links into one scheme, with affordable housing set at 30% of the total.