Inquiry

The public inquiry examining the planning application for the proposed bypass commenced on 17 June 2008, and ended on 8 October 2008. The decision of the inquiry inspectors' was to reject the proposal, which was supported by the Government in July 2009.

Read the planning inspectors' report (PDF, 295 pages) describing their decision to reject the proposal (1 July 2009).

Read the letter by the Secretary of State for Communites (PDF, 10 pages) accepting the inspectors' recommendation to reject the proposed road (1 July 2009).

The 2008 public inquiry

The inquiry inspectors held a pre-inquiry meeting on 3 March 2008. The inquiry venue was The Laverton Hall, Westbury; the inquiry inspectors were Mr Yellowley and Mr Langton. The White Horse Alliance was represented by solicitor Charlie Hopkins of EarthRights Solicitors; Wiltshire County Council was represented by barrister Simon Randle; the proposal's promoter was Parvis Khansari - an officer at Wiltshire County Council.

Wiltshire County Council no longer maintain a website with inquiry documents.
Independent views and comment about the inquiry at West-wilts-bypass.info website here: http://www.westbury-wilts-bypass.info/inquirylinks.html

Index to the inquiry notes

Notes of the inquiry proceedings were made by volunteers from the White Horse Alliance. These are available for most of the inquiry days but not all. An annotated schedule (PDF), includes additional information e.g. names of witnesses, experts. The schedule was closely adhered-to but there are some discrepancies between it and the actual proceedings, as the notes reveal.

Week 1 (17 - 20 June)

Day 1 (Tuesday 17 June); day 2 (Wednesday 18 June); day 3 (Thursday 19 June); day 4 (Friday 20 June)

Week 2 (24 - 27 June)

Day 5 (Tuesday 24 June); day 6 (Wednesday 25 June); day 7 (Thursday 26 June); day 8 (Friday 27 June)

Week 3 (1 - 3 July)

Day 9 (Tuesday 1 July); day 10 (Wednesday 2 July); day 11 (Thursday 3 July)

Week 4 (8 - 11 July)

Day 12 (Tuesday 8 July); day 13 (Wednesday 9 July); day 14 (Friday 11 July)

Week 5 (14 - 18 July)

Day 15 - including an evening session (Monday 14 July); day 16 (Tuesday 15 July); day 17 (Wednesday 16 July); day 18 (Thursday 17 July); day 19 (Friday 18 July)

Week 6 (23 - 24 July)

Day 20 (Wednesday 23 July); day 21 (Thursday 24 July)

Week 7 (4 September)

Day 22 (Thursday 4 September)

Week 8 (10 - 11 September)

Day 23 (Wednesday 10 September); day 24 (Thursday 11 September)

Week 9 (8 October)

Day 25 (Wednesday 8 October) - closing statement