RESIDENTS in Wootton Bassett say any development on a beauty spot will spoil the local landscape and create traffic chaos.

Developer Wainhomes has put forward a proposal for land next to Vowley View and Interface Business Park.

Up to 70 houses could be built on the site along with a small extension to the business park.

Vowley View resident Georgina Mason, 44, who attended a planning meeting where the developer gave a presentation on its early ideas, said: "An awful lot of people turned up because it is a very emotive subject in the town.

"I think the proposals themselves are terrible because they are going so far away from current planning policy.

"They are inappropriate because it is a green field which should be protected. More traffic will be generated by the proposal which the roads can't cope with."

The town council organised the meeting to see if residents who protested last month when a six-foot spiked fence was put up on the site and landowners could agree an acceptable proposal.

Coun Audrey Wannell, chairwoman of the planning committee, said she was pleased that under the early proposals, Brynard's Hill would stay as open park land.

"I was relieved about that because that is what we want for the town," she said. "The biggest part of it will be left as open space. People are objecting because they want it all to be left as open space but people in Wootton Bassett need somewhere to live.

"We must look at the overall picture.

"It's no good making a quick grab for something we need to think of what we need for the next 50 to 60 years."

Her husband Chris said he was looking forward to seeing more detailed plans.

"I would like to see a proper development brief so we can then look at it with more meaning," he said.

Stephen Owen, chairman of Wainhomes, said there would be five acres of housing but most of the site would be a 60-acre country park with improved footpath and cycle links, as well as highway improvements to Noremarsh Road.

"It is the view of Wainhomes that this will provide considerable benefits to Wootton Bassett which will own the country park," he said.

bpayne@newswilts.co.uk