Backhouse Housing has secured full planning permission for its redevelopment of the former Wadworth Brewery site in Devizes. 

The scheme will deliver 102 new homes, retail, public open spaces and enhanced pedestrian and cycling connections to the nearby canal.  

The development will also include secure cycle storage spaces, extensive new landscaping, 130 car parking spaces, and improved pedestrian routes throughout the site. 

The site became vacant after Wadworth Brewery relocated to a modern facility on Folly Road, allowing the business to expand while remaining in Devizes.  

The plans cover most of the former brewery site, excluding the Grade II listed Wadworth Brewery building, which is subject to a separate planning application. 

The scheme will feature a collection of three- and four-bedroom houses, alongside studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments.  

Backhouse has also committed to delivering eight affordable homes as part of the scheme. 

The project incorporates a range of sustainability measures, including air source heat pumps and solar photovoltaic panels, ensuring energy-efficient homes that align with modern environmental standards.  

Landscaping will contribute to a 1,446 per cent biodiversity net gain, with new trees, hedgerows, and planting along the canal to protect and enhance the natural habitat for a range of species.  

Backhouse will be providing a number of community benefits through financial contributions, secured through a S106 agreement, totalling £461,000.  

They will also make a significant investment to decontaminate and prepare the brownfield site for development.  

Work on site is expected to commence in Summer 2025, with completions anticipated in early 2027.    

Stuart Walter, senior land and planning manager at Backhouse, said: “The former Wadworth Brewery is an important regeneration project for Devizes and we are very pleased to have achieved planning to deliver high-quality local homes at this location.  

“This decision reflects our collaborative approach with officers, stakeholders, and the local community to create a high-quality, design-led scheme that is sensitive to its historic surroundings. We look forward to starting work on site soon.” 

The plans were unanimously approved by Wiltshire Council’s Eastern Area Planning Committee. 

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