Delays, Determination, and Real Progress - Sustain Wiltshire: November 18th 2025

It’s been a while since our last update—mainly because we’ve been working hard behind the scenes and navigating a few frustrating hurdles. So, let’s start with the challenges and end with the good news (and there is good news!). 

Planning Delays and Radio Silence:

Despite words of strong support from Wiltshire’s councillors earlier in the year, we have since faced a wall of silence from the Council’s planning team. Our request to shorten the 16-week timeframe following our swift responses to their queries have fallen on deaf ears. Consequently, the planning decision has been moved back to 24th December. 

Call me a sceptic, but I find it a little hard to believe that, after all this time, the planning officer ‘elves’ will be rushing our application through on Christmas Eve. But perhaps we’ll be surprised…  

Sadly, current form suggests this will not be the case. Our request for a weekly call with the planning officer – to keep things moving and resolve questions swiftly – has been flatly declined. Instead of dialogue, we have only received further written questions and requests for clarifications..  

In every case we have responded promptly, yet there has been no engagement, no update, and no willingness to talk.  

Planning regulations require constructive liaison, yet it appears Wiltshire has chosen to ignore this. 

So, what is the cost of this delay to Wiltshire?

Given the Council’s declaration of a climate emergency, one would imagine that initiatives designed to dramatically reduce CO₂ at scale would be widely welcomed. It appears not! 

Despite confirming that, when fully operational, the Super-Midden will save 88,000 tonnes of CO₂ a year, the delay in a decision on planning continues.  

To avoid any doubt, to date Wiltshire Council’s bureaucratic delays have effectively cost the environment over 40,000 tonnes of CO₂. This inaction is directly undermining the very objectives the Council claims to prioritise, and every day the opportunity for CO₂ reduction is pushed further back! This is mindbogglingly perplexing! 

To the Positives—And There Are Quite a Few:

1. National Highways: Constructive, Professional, and Solution-Focused 

Unlike the Council’s planning department, National Highways has been excellent to work with. We’ve had timely, meaningful dialogue and have now submitted revised plans that we hope will address their remaining concerns. Their approach is a great example of central government agencies engaging constructively; one that local government would do well to emulate. 

2. Prototype SWATC Site Clearance Completed 

Our plans for the prototype Solid Waste Anaerobic Treatment Cells (SWATC), which will generate gas from solid waste to power electricity-generating engines, are moving ahead well. All site clearance work has now been carried out under the supervision of our ecologists. Due to the weather, however, earthworks have now been paused until spring—but everything is ready to restart as soon as conditions improve, and planning permission has (hopefully) been secured. 

3. Our First Growing Dome Is On Its Way 

The first positively pressured growing dome for year-round fruit and vegetables – heated and powered by the Super-Midden – has been manufactured and is currently en route from China. Our partners will be on site in the first week of January to help erect it, and preparation work is already well underway. 

Following its arrival, I’ll be travelling to China to discuss deeper collaboration on the larger project for up to 56,000 m²of positively pressured inflatable greenhouses. These will be able to produce enough affordable fruit and vegetables to meet 80% of the needs of Royal Wootton Bassett, Malmesbury, Purton and Brinkworth. As part of this visit, I’ll be exploring the potential for the creation of a manufacturing facility in Royal Wootton Bassett to support the full Super-Midden build, which could bring significant local economic benefits, jobs and skills development. 

4. Welcoming Our New Horticulturist, Raj 

We’re delighted to share that we have recruited our first horticulturist to the project with the appointment of Raj. Raj is already developing operational plans for the prototype growing dome including the development of effective multi-cropping solutions to match demand models. This is one of the most technically complex parts of the Super-Midden vision, and Raj is bringing invaluable expertise and enthusiasm to the team. 

5. Green Halo: Early Design Work Underway 

Working with the Royal Wootton Bassett Environment Trust, we have begun work on concept designs for the Green Halo affordable, eco-rental housing developments. This includes planning a cycle link to Swindon along the old canal, designs for which we hope to share with the community for discussion and feedback before Christmas.

Moving forward with positivity

Yes—the planning delays are frustrating and costly to both the project and the environment. But despite that, the momentum behind the Super-Midden continues to build. We’re making real progress: on site, with partners, with design work, and with the prototype infrastructure that will demonstrate what’s possible. All we need now is the thumbs up on planning on Christmas Eve. My letter to Santa is in the post!

For now, we’ll keep pushing, keep innovating, and keep moving forward—no matter how many bureaucratic hurdles appear in the path. 

Until next time… 

Nick Ash