GAZETTE & HERALD: RESIDENTS in Derry Hill and Studley are up in arms about a proposal to build 50 new homes.

A petition urging North Wiltshire District Council not to approve the plans for the Derry Hill development is underway in the villages with nearly 350 signatures collected to date.

An application to develop the land was submitted by Bowood last month with the estate keen to develop the site in order to raise funds to build a hotel, spa and conference centre at its Golf and Country Club.

Jerry Field, a Derry Hill resident and Calne Without parish councillor, said there is widespread unease in the two villages on the plan.

Mr Field said: "A colleague on the parish council and I were approached by several residents enquiring about the proposed development and expressing their general objections to it."

Mr Field said he had spoken to around 75 per cent of residents in the two villages with 80 per cent of those asked against the development.

He said the site under consideration is outside the settlement boundary defined for the two villages in the North Wiltshire Local Plan.

"The district council has already identified sufficient brownfield sites within existing urban area boundaries to enable it to meet its housing requirements until at least 2011, as well as a commitment to develop previously developed urban land before greenfield land," he said.

Joanne Barkley-Smith, resident and parish councillor, said: "The general view is the village is already bursting at the seams without any more housing.

"There is also much anxiety about the Studley crossroads junction on the A4 where there have been a number of accidents in recent years and the impact on the junction of the extra traffic that the proposed development would undoubtedly generate."

There was public consultation on the plan in November.

An estate spokeswoman said the plan now incorporated issues that were raised.

"Bowood did consult extensively with people from the villages and the feedback was included."

The spokeswoman said affordable homes had been included because it was considered there is a need for more in Calne Without Parish Council.

"This is the last bit of land where Derry Hill can grow. The number of children in the village will fall and the school could lose a teacher.

With the development the school could keep its full complement."

Bowood Estate said it has proposed many benefits for the villages including improved access and safety measures on the A4 at Studley crossroads.

There would be improvements to Derry Hill village hall, including the provision of an all-weather sports pitch and a financial contributions for a new youth room and permanent facilities on the Bowood Sports Ground for the football club and Scouts.

The owner of the Bowood Estate Lord Lansdowne said in a statement last week: "The proposal provides homes that allow the village to grow in a manageable way, brings significant improvements to the local community and helps to ensure the long-term survival of Bowood for future generations."