Architects behind the redevelopment of the former Tesco site in Trowbridge have come up with an ambitious plan for a rival site in the town.

Osel Architects submitted a plan to West Wiltshire District Council on behalf of developers Borric Properties for the former Ushers bottling plant, despite not owning it.

Simon Hoare, spokesman for Borric Properties, said: "We are confident our scheme presents the right mix and scale of development that would make an attractive addition to Trowbridge."

The plan, which is not a formal planning application, is for 242 new homes, 76 of which would be affordable housing, a community centre, a nursery and neighbourhood shopping.

District council spokesman Louise Knox said: "At the moment it is just a pre-application discussion. They are bouncing ideas off us to see it meets the criteria we are looking for.

"Obviously a key issue, as they don't own the site, would be to acquire it."

The site, between the Congire, Union Street and British Row is owned by developers Mystique.

A spokesman for Mystique, said: "We don't know anything about this new proposal and can't comment on anything at the moment."

Mystique's bid to redevelop the site, which has been vacant for nearly five years, has hit several problems along the way.

The developer already has permission for homes on the former brewery site but cannot proceed with the work without permission for the retail scheme on the bottling plant site.

At the end of last year, the office of the Deputy Prime Minister rejected proposals for 92 homes, 7,663sq metres of food and non-food retail space and a restaurant and pub.

The developer had raised concerns that the plans to develop the former Tesco site at St Stephen's Place would affect the chances of its own application going forward.

Mystique did request that a decision on the St Stephen's Place site be deferred to allow both schemes to be considered side by side after the Secretary of State cast doubt on the amount of floor space needed in the town for retail purposes.

The St Stephen's Place plan was given the go-ahead and work to clear the site started this week.

Mystique is now waiting for the outcome of a revised plan, due to be considered by councillors in the next few months.