A ROW over affordable housing has scuppered plans to build sheltered accommodation for more than 100 people in Westbury.

Developer McCarthy and Stone had its bid to revamp Frogmore House in Frogmore Road turned down on Thursday after failing to resolve a stand off with council planners.

The company claimed its scheme to create 50 sheltered apartments and 14 affordable apartments was what elderly people in Westbury wanted and had the town council's backing.But the project was refused as it fails to meet West Wiltshire District Council's requirement for developments to have 30 per cent affordable housing.

Kieran Rafferty, of the developer's agents The Planning Bureau, said: "McCarthy and Stone will spend about £200,000 on the refurbishment of the building.

"These schemes we feel have been, to put it mildy, very successful. A similar project to this in Essex was taken up within one and a half days of coming on the market."

In a letter to the council he said: "I have now read the report to committee and am astounded at its failure to consider the clear planning and social benefits of the application, and its fundamental failure to provide a balanced appraisal of the scheme for your members to consider.

He added: "The report also contains false and misleading claims regarding my client's behaviour during the process of the application."

Bill Braid, chairman of Westbury Town Council's planning committee, said: "My committee believe that this development is right for the site. Our only objection in Westbury was the lack of parking and that has been overcome."

Frogmore House is a Grade II listed building and was previously used as a Peter Black cosmetics factory.

McCarthy and Stone had a similar plan to this refused last year, which it is set to challenge at an appeal in November.

Objecting to the revised scheme, Cllr Eli Manesseh said there was instead a desperate shortage of rented accommodation in Westbury.

Cllr Christopher Newbury said the scheme was good in theory.

But he added: "We can't really tear up a major planning policy of this council on the basis that someone asks us politely to do so."

McCarthy and Stone is also bidding to build 40 retirement flats on the site of the Octagon Garage, in George Street, Warminster.

Warminster Town Council has raised no objections to the application, which will be discussed by the district council's planning committee at a future meeting.