Protesters are celebrating a victory over developers, now controversial plans to amend planning conditions to allow the building over 90 new houses off Rowden Lane have been withdrawn by Laing Homes.

The scheme for development on various plots along the lane has been hindered by need to build an access road from the new estate to the Melksham Road at Patterdown.

Laing wanted to alter the conditions so they could build homes on two parcels of the land without the new access road in place.

Planning officers at the district council had recommended supporting the application, if the developers agree to contribute to the cost of the new access when it is built.

But 75 letters of objection were sent in by local people concerned about the safety of the access, the urbanisation of Rowden Lane, traffic congestion and the density of housing.

The CPRE was also opposed to the plans.

The application was deferred at the last meeting of North Wiltshire District Council's development control committee for further investigations to take place about the dispute over land ownership and a survey of traffic.

It was due to come back to the committee last night but the developers withdrew the application.

A spokesman for Laing Homes said: "We have withdrawn the application because we still have on-going negotiations with third parties."