Please sign this petition to let Wiltshire Council know that yet another retirement development is not what the community of Marlborough desperately needs.

For decades, there has been a large and continual reduction in the availability of affordable and social-rent homes for young families, first-time buyers, older people and the people who run our shops, hospitality, health and care services - the lifeblood of our vibrant town.

Families have been divided by distance as young people are forced to move away from their home towns.

Speculators are buying up houses and apartments as second homes or Airbnb.

That is why the Town Council has declared a housing emergency.

The number 1 priority in the Marlborough Area Neighbourhood Plan - a valid planning document and part of the Wiltshire Local Plan - is to provide affordable housing.

If the planning application to build yet another retirement complex at the site of the old Police Station in George Lane goes ahead, we will have lost a precious piece of land that would be perfect for 1-3 bedroom homes to help our young people and families, as well as older people, find a home of their own and stay and work in the town where they were born.

There can be up to 20 of this type of expensive property in a choice of 10 existing different developments on the market at any one time, showing there is no need for any more in this town.  There's a good supply.  And how many would be bought by local people anyway?

Meanwhile, there are over 80 people who have been registered with Wiltshire Council in the hope that they and their family can be housed in Marlborough or Manton.  And many have been on that list for as long as a couple of years.  And that doesn't include the people who need rented accommodation who for whatever reason don't qualify for social housing. 

There are families with with up to 4 kids sharing a bedroom because of the lack of housing stock available, affecting their schooling, welfare, and threatening the future of our schools.  

As housing associations continue to reduce their stock, especially for 3-bedroom properties, the options for the people on the wait list get smaller and smaller, and they often give up and move away from Marlborough.

We know the developer will claim not all planning rules apply when the proposal is for retirement living.  We say that 30 dwellings is 30 dwellings, and if this goes forward the chance to provide 30 homes for the Marlborough community will be lost.

Thank you so much for reading this far.  If you agree with us please sign the petition.

The planning application number is PL/2025/03165.  Go to https://development.wiltshire.gov.uk/pr/s/ and type it in if you'd like to take a look at the planning application before deciding on whether to sign - and we hope you'll come back and do so.

All who have signed this petition are asking Wiltshire Council to refuse permission for this application, and any other similar retirement complexes at this site.  Please listen to the people of Marlborough and understand what this community needs.  Please refuse this application.