CHIPPENHAM NEWS: TWO couples who moved to a rural part of north Wiltshire are worried by plans to turn the area around their homes into business land.

Gary, 44, and Melanie Bennett, 35, and Richard and Amanda Brown, both 35, who live in two isolated homes off Potley Lane, believe they have been left in the dark over proposals to designate the land around their homes for employment use.

They have missed the chance to object to the plans and claim they were totally unaware of the proposals.

They have written to councillors at North Wiltshire District Council and Corsham Town Council to voice their concerns about the proposals, which are set out in the Draft Local Plan 2011. Neither couple had been aware of any proposed changes when they bought their homes in the past few years.

They think the proposals could have a negative impact on their quality of life, as well as the value of their homes.

Mr Brown, 35, criticised the consultation process. He said: "It involves placing notices in local papers or a local library. Unless you look in those places you are left completely unaware of the changes. If the process isn't engaging people in the democratic process then it should be changed."

Town and district councillor Peter Davis said: "Commercial and residential developments do not mix and are a recipe for conflict." He believes there are brownfield sites that could be used for commercial development instead, which would be less damaging to the environment.

He said access to the area could also be a problem for industrial vehicles because the Valley Road bridge will soon have a new weight restriction put on it.