Wootton Bassett Town Council has voted in favour of a controversial development on Brynards Hill despite fierce opposition from residents.

The decision, made at the end of a heated and at times riotous debate on Thursday, left residents angry.

Speaking afterwards Charmain Spickernell, for the Campaign to Protect Rural England, said: "I was absolutely staggered by the town council's decision after they'd just heard what the people were saying."

Her feelings were echoed by Neil Edwards, 47, of Vowley View, who commented: "I don't want to criticise the town council they make their decisions but where is their evidence that their decision is in line with what the people of Wootton Bassett want?"

At the meeting developer Wainhomes presented the findings from its two-day exhibition held in March when residents had been asked to comment on the proposals for the local beauty spot, including a country park, up to 70 new houses and further employment land at the Interface business park.

But on an evening dominated by jeers and boos, the developer was assaulted by a barrage of challenges as about 60 residents questioned the need for further housing, a subsequent increase in traffic and development of a green field site.

Georgina Mason, of Vowley View, attacked the questionnaires distributed by Wainhomes, while other residents living near the site claimed they had never received them.

Mrs Mason, who works in marketing, described the questionnaire as one sided and manipulative.

"It was a community consultation and should not have been an exercise in data gathering to be used at the local plan inquiry. The multiple choice paper did not address any of the negative issues," she said.

After more than an hour of public debate, town councillors debated among themselves before a vote was taken. Coun Stephen Walls said: "Wainhomes are offering a piece of land that they probably couldn't use anyway as shown by applications turned down in the past."

But Coun Peter Roberts believed the council had a unique chance to have a say on future development.

He said: "Wainhomes own all that land. We don't have a right to be there since it's all private land and what would be the result if they fenced it all off.

"This proposal would allow us to own the escarpment and so secure it and for that reason we should not dismiss it out of hand."

The vote was carried by ten votes to three in favour of Wainhomes' proposals. Wainhomes will now take its proposals to the local plan inquiry on July 7 at Chippenham in the hope of having it included in the North Wiltshire Local Plan 2011.