30406DEVELOPER has withdrawn plans to build houses on a village factory site because he believes new rules could bring in an influx of ex-offenders, asylum seekers and drug addicts.

Kenneth Baldy, chief executive of gluing technology company Robatech, in Broughton Gifford, has withdrawn an application to build 14 houses on the site. He had been planning to move the factory to nearby Lower Farm and build 14 houses in its place.

Under West Wiltshire District Council rules half of these would have to be affordable housing.

Mr Baldy claims changes to the definition of affordable housing could bring an influx of ex-criminals, asylum seekers and drug users into the village. In a draft district council document giving planning guidance, an amendment has been added this month to change the definition of affordable housing.

An added paragraph specifies that affordable housing should cater for people who need specialist assistance, including ex-offenders, asylum seekers and those with drug or alcohol-related problems.

Mr Baldy, who has owned Robatech for 25 years, said: "I don't believe the people of Broughton Gifford would want me to continue with my development if they knew any of these people could move in.

"From a developer's point of view we have to hand over the keys and they can put in anyone they want. In future is west Wiltshire to become an asylum seeker's paradise?

"I have now withdrawn my plans because I live in the village and there is no way I can continue to live here thinking I have left this as a legacy.

"People who live in villages where they have paid for the privilege deserve to live somewhere safe and secure and they don't need this dumped on them." He also believes the new rules will make houses harder to sell with developments in villages usually having to include 50 per cent affordable housing.

Cllr Virginia Fortescue, district council housing portfolio member, said: "I think this is a little bit of scaremongering because we do already look after these people. "They aren't just flung willy nilly into the middle of the community. They are handled very carefully and with the appropriate advice.

"To be perfectly honest Broughton Gifford is quite a small community and doesn't have a huge number of facilities. These categories of people tend to need to be near town centres where social services and the appropriate help is offered to them." A district council spokesman said the detail of the draft planning guidance had not yet been fully agreed and would go out to public consultation.

Mr Baldy's plans to move the factory, which employs 20 people in Broughton Gifford, go back two years. He was hoping to expand his business and has spent about £35,000 over the past two years on the project.