15417/03GAZETTE & HERALD: IRATE residents of a small village near Corsham are fighting plans for a 38 house development which they say would turn their quiet cul-de-sac into a rat run and put their children's lives at risk.

Five families from Neston turned out to a town council meeting last Wednesday when the development was being discussed.

O & H Properties hopes to build the houses on the site of the former Bath and Portland stone works, Westwells.

But homeowners from neighbouring estate Moor Park will battle the plans because their street would be used as the access route into the new development, creating an extra 240 car movements past their houses every day.

Jo Vella, 38, who has lived in Moor Park with her husband Richard and two teenage sons for four years said they are not objecting to the houses being built, just the access route.

"There are lots of pre-school and primary school children who play out side. It would be a complete and utter nightmare. Somebody would get run over without a doubt," she said.

"It would ruin the ethos in which we live. It's perfect and we don't want to spoil it."

Youngsters use the green outside their homes to play sports and it has been the venue for a number of street parties and social gatherings, including a jubilee celebration.

"It will become a roundabout," Mrs Vella said. "The children would have to cross the road and risk their lives every time they wanted to play out."

All the residents who attended the meeting have written letters of

objection to North Wiltshire District Council, which will make the final

decision on the plans.

Moor Park resident, Paul Crosby who spoke at the meeting, said: "To reach the cul-de-sac there are three right-angle bends in a distance of 80 metres; this is already hazardous when the close proximity of young children are concerned.

"It would be like a motorway around there. It's atrocious, verging on madness."

Neston ward councillor, Jeanne Doohan, agreed with their opposition to the plans. "It's over-development of the site," she said. "There are no shops, an inadequate transport

system and Neston Primary is a very good school but I don't know if there are any places.

"The families won't know if they will be able to go to the village primary and I feel very strongly that every child should be able to go to their local school if they want to."

A Section 106 contract, signed by the developers in 1994 agreed they would build no more than 32 homes on the site, but they are now hoping to build 38.

Town councillor Richard Tonge said: "I for the life of me can't see why the access ought to be from where it is now.

"For those people who are living there it would be a nightmare. It's completely unnecessary."

Corsham Town Council recommended refusing planning permission on the grounds of access, environmental concerns and potential over-development of the site.