15873/8GAZETTE & HERALD: A FAST food outlet which has been trading without planning permission for three weeks could be closed down.

The High Street takeaway, Corsham Kebab and Pizza Shop, was described by town councillors as detrimental to the town's retail centre.

The shop put in an application for planning but started to sell food without permission.

Councillors voted unanimously to recommend refusal to retrospective permission.

Coun Peter Davis said: "Some people might argue that one more fast food shop does not make any difference.

"However, we've got four within 100 yards and in the High Street there's six altogether.

"Corsham is a picturesque town and I want to see a good variety of retail uses which will encourage people to come to shop. We don't want it filled with building societies and fast food takeaways."

Coun Davis said planning laws are not tight enough and so the shop could continue to trade until the district council's planning committee formally turns down the application.

"Until those laws are improved we shall be faced with such examples as this," he said.