Outline plans for five houses at the former Wilson's Coal Yard in Hullavington have been given the go-ahead.

The move came after a plea to refuse the application from residents of Watts Lane who were concerned about access to the site.

North Wiltshire District Council received 14 letters of objection, saying although most people welcomed the development, the entrance to the site was too narrow.

But councillors voted in favour of the officer's recommendation to grant outline permission.

Paul Hadley, deputy chairman of Hullavington Parish Council, welcomed the decision.

He said: "It is my personal opinion that here is an opportunity to turn a derelict site into something useful. It is a brown field site and there are a shortage of houses, so what else do you do with land like that?"

Although many villagers objected to access at Watts Lane, Mr Hadley said many people had previously supported an application to have access to the site using the old by-way behind the village green.

He said this application was withdrawn because the highway authority refused it.

District councillor John Thomson said he shared the villagers' concerns about the site entrance.

Coun Thomson said: "I was happy for the planning of the houses to go through but I was not happy with the access route."

He added that he felt it would have been better to use the by-way as an entrance to the site.