Town cattle market's future still in doubt

Detailed plans for the new record office and heritage centre on the livestock market site in Cocklebury Road have been submitted and building work could start in spring next year but the cattle market has failed to find a suitable alternative site.

Premier Livestock, which operates the market, knows it will have to move out of the town centre site soon but market director Peter Kingwill admitted nothing had been lined up as a replacement.

The site is owned by North Wiltshire District Council, but Wiltshire County Council is buying a portion of the 12-acre site. The rest is likely to be sold to developers for housing.

"The long and short of a cattle market is its viability," said Mr Kingwill.

He calculated it would cost between £2 and £3 million for a new facility.

"This is not just a problem facing Chippenham. Other markets in Cirencester and Taunton and around the country are in the same situation," he said.

A site near junction 17 of the M4 had been identified and a plan was submitted by developers Frogmore Investment to build a new market.

But the plans stalled because the district council is worried such green field development could lead to more new building around the M4.

District council leader Ruth Coleman said she would like the market to remain in north Wiltshire.

She said a meeting will take place between Premier Livestock and officers and a study will be done to look at the viability of the market in the district.

Coun Philip Allnatt said he feared private companies were not interested in building a cattle market.

He said: "My concern is that we are not kicking them hard enough.

"In planning terms we are trying to prevent the floodgates opening and resulting in a retail centre setting up along the A420 and M4.

"It is only a few years ago we refused permission for another service station

"I would prefer an M4 site for a market, but we would have to stitch any permission up tight.

"That's what we could be trying to do."