Category Archives: Latest News

Solar panels in a field

Will Lime Down Solar pay back its Embodied Carbon?

I’ve posted before on the proposed Lime Down Solar farm expressing the reasons why large scale solar is needed. I’m not connected with the developers behind Lime Down in any way, and I do understand some of the concerns the local opposition group ‘Stop Lime Down’ have regarding scale, construction traffic, and the nature of […]

Matthew Short

Four years on – What did I achieve?

It’s four years since i stood for election and as i’m standing down in May I thought it worth a reflection on the achievements over the past four years as Town Councillor. It’s certainly been one of the hardest things i’ve ever done. As a young apprentice at Rolls-Royce I was fortunate to attend several […]

Road Safety Improvements in the Pipeline

As a Town Councillor the most frequent requests and complaints I get are for road safety across the ward. Given that the town council isn’t responsible for Highways – Wiltshire Council are, this can be particularly frustrating. Local Highways Footpath Improvement Group (LHFIG) There is a however a Wiltshire Council mechanism intended to give greater […]

County Hall Trowbridge Wiltshire

I speak at County Hall in Favour of Solar Farms

This afternoon I spoke at County Hall, Trowbridge, Wiltshire, on the absolute need for Solar farms on low grade agricultural land in addition to rooftops to meet energy security and climate goals in Wiltshire. As the lead administrator for Zero Chippenham on the Community Rooftop solar scheme i’m doing everything I can to facilitate the […]

Feather Footed Flower bee on Lungwort

Chippenham Neighbourhood Plan Referendum 23rd May 2024

On Thursday 23rd May 2024 there is a referendum in Chippenham for the Chippenham Neighbourhood Plan with the question Do you want Wiltshire Council to use the Neighbourhood Plans for Chippenham to help it decide planning applications in the Neighbourhood area? Chippenham residents will have the choice of voting Yes or No. For transparency, as […]

Artisan Quarter

Union Road and Artisan Quarter

For the last nine months i’ve been working with independent businesses in the newly formed Artisan Quarter of Chippenham. The Artisan Quarter forms the triangle between the Brunel Railway arches, the top of New Road to Octoprint, and the border of John Coles Park and Marshfield Road. The initiative has been ground up from businesses. […]

Rowden development at Patterdown

Showell Development Site objection

One of the reasons I became a councillor in Chippenham was to try and prevent the ongoing environmental destruction around Chippenham through cumulative large scale development. Where i’ve failed to prevent the development, i’ve tried to push for the highest possible sustainable construction standards. So I once again experienced that sinking feeling when I saw […]

Island Park Trees Chippenham

Island Park Motion

I was pleased to receive unanimous support for my motion to try and protect the historic trees on Chippenham’s Island Park against potential future development. Here is my motion.. it was unanimously supported at Full Council Wednesday 21st June 2023. To write to the Chief Executive at Wiltshire Council requesting any future development which adjoins […]