MORE than 900 homes are set to be built in and around Salisbury over the next six years after allocation plans were given the green light.

The proposals include 640 homes on Netherhampton Road, as well as 100 just north of this site, and another 100 at Rowbarrow.

Homes have also been allocated for sites on Hilltop Way (10), and Hampton Park (14), as well as two areas in Durrington: Clover Lane (45) and Larkhill Road (15).

Wiltshire councillors voted 63-12 in favour to push through the Wiltshire Housing Site Allocations Plan at the Full Council meeting on Tuesday.

However, Harnham member Councillor Brian Dalton hit back at the scheme, and called on the authority to instead build a new town which could soak up the majority of the county’s homes allocations set by Westminster.

Back in 2006, the government set Wiltshire a 20-year target of 42,000 homes.

“All these piecemeal developments around the county has to stop,” he told the council.

“Wiltshire, perhaps, needs a new town if we are being forced into [building] this many homes.

“[Regarding the Netherhampton Road development] it is very contentious. I am getting a lot of people contacting me about it.”

Earlier this month, it was also announced that more than £15million of government cash is to be pumped into improving roads around the Netherhampton Road site.

The investment will focus on the roadway from Exeter Street roundabout, through the Harnham Gyratory, and then out to the Netherhampton Road junction with the A36, just outside of Wilton.

However, the Lib Dem councillor added: “In this [Wiltshire Housing Site Allocations Plan] report, it says that mitigating measures must be taken to help traffic flow.

“But these [recently announced] measures will not bring any relief to Salisbury at all.

“They will not help Harnham whatsoever.”

In response, Councillor Pauline Church, front-bench Conservative member for Wilton said: “This [development] area is going to be next to my ward and I’m also aware that there is a lot of opposition.

“This is in addition to other plans in the pipeline in the nearby Wilton area.

“[As such] there is worry about road infrastructure.

“However, this new government money should alleviate issues in this particular area. I think it is a step towards putting the infrastructure in place before we build the houses.”

It was heard that a plan for a new town "is in the mixer", according the planning chief Councillor Toby Sturgis.

But, he added the town could not be used to ofset the current allocation as it would not be finished in time to make an impact before 2026.

No information was given as to why the town could be located, if built.