GAZETTE & HERALD: CHIPPENHAM residents are being invited to air their views on the 2005-2015 community area plan, which is being launched in the town hall next Thursday.

The event, from 7pm to 9pm, will give people the chance to find out about other residents' concerns and the plans that will try to solve them.

As well as Chippenham, 15 parish councils also sent in their views, wish lists and worries.

Small forums supported by Wiltshire County Council and North Wiltshire District Council have tackled the different themes, from recreation, leisure and arts, the local economy, education, environment, housing, and possibly the most contentious transport.

Chippenham has grown enormously over the last ten years with the Cepen Park estates. Most of the development taking place now and up to 2011 is focused inside the town on sites such as Cocklebury Road and the former Flowers scrapyard.

The district council will defend its decision not to include sites such as the field in front of Abbeyfield School, and land off Hill Corner Road to the north of Chippenham.

Land set aside in the Local Plan for employment use at Hunters Moon has also raised objections from people living near the site who do not want it developed.

Protestors will also argue Chippenham's river valley should retain its special protection under the new Local Plan. Some residents are unhappy about changes to the form of protection from development given to the river valley.