This grid square is in the new neighbourhood of Leigh Park in Westbury.
A lot of people mistakenly confuse Leigh Park (the new community neighbourhood) with the older community neighbourhood nearby called Westbury Leigh.
One of the reasons for the continuing confusion is the fact that Westbury Leigh Primary School has now moved from its old building at School Lane, Westbury Leigh, Westbury to Sandalwood Road, Leigh Park, Westbury.
The name of the school leads some people to assume that the area around the school (until recently this area was just fields to the west of Westbury) is Westbury Leigh.
Residents in Westbury Leigh are rightly proud of their neighbourhood, particularly as it has long been seen as a distinct part of Westbury which, although actually part of the town, feels much more like a village with its own churches, primary school (until it moved), chinese take-away and a very busy, popular community hall.
Indeed, it is fair to say that Westbury Leigh residents were less than enthralled at the plans for Leigh Park to be built next door, not least because the new community facilities in Leigh Park (ie. shops, community centre, dr's surgery etc) were originally described as "Westbury Leigh District Centre". That name implied that the heart of Westbury Leigh would be moving to Leigh Park.
West Wiltshire District Council adopted a fresh planning policy for Leigh Park when the new district plan was adopted in June 2004. This changed the Leigh Park community facilities to a Local Centre model, which is now called Leigh Park Local Centre. It is also now clear that Leigh Park always was designed as a new neighbourhood built on land to the west of Westbury and north of Westbury Leigh.
It is preposterous to describe the 1,000 house Leigh Park neighbourhood as an extension to the tiny 250 house neighbourhood of Westbury Leigh, not least because the new area would completely dominate the older area in terms of size but mainly because the heart of Leigh Park is so clearly designed to be Leigh Park Local Centre at Palamino Place in Leigh Park.
'Leigh Park Community Association (Westbury)' was set up as a charitable trust to own and run the proposed Leigh Park Community Centre and the adjacent Leigh Park Community Nursery. At a public meeting attended by residents from both Leigh Park and Westbury Leigh (held in Westbury Leigh Community Hall) in July 2005, everyone voted unanimously for a motion which confirmed that:
Leigh Park is designed and designated as a new neighbourhood in Westbury which is adjacent to but seperate from the older, very pleasant neighbourhood called Westbury Leigh.
There are numerous good reasons why people are keen to clarify this matter and stop the confusion:
1. Westbury Leigh residents prefer that Westbury Leigh retains its identity, which is one of a pleasant older neighbourhood with a villagy feel in Westbury.
2. Leigh Park residents are proud of their new neighbourhood for many reasons, but particularly because of the close proximity to Westbury Leigh and because of the well-designed landscaping with many tree-lined roads and green open spaces.
3. If the confusion gets worse, grant-giving bodies may not be prepared to donate grants to either Westbury Leigh Community Hall or the proposed Leigh Park Community Centre. This is because most grant-giving bodies require halls to be the principal hall serving a neighbourhood. Confusion may lead to both halls being less viable.
4. The viability of the proposed Leigh Park Community Centre and Nursery projects depend greatly on a good sense of community spirit. The Leigh Park Local Centre is designed as the intended heart of Leigh Park social and community affairs. It makes sense to try to avoid anything which spoils this.
5. The design and designation of Leigh Park as a new neighbourhood is official district council policy as enshrined in policy
H13 in the district plan, as approved by a Government Inspector as part of the adoption process.
Russell Hawker
West Wiltshire District Councillor
Westbury Laverton Ward (which includes Westbury Leigh and half of Leigh Park)
Chairman - Leigh Park Community Association (Westbury)
Tel: 01373 822275
07971 572903