A DEVELOPER'S bid to build more shops on a Trowbridge housing estate has been scuppered for a second time.

Marshgate wants to add three shops to the existing village centre on Paxcroft Mead, but the project has stalled again, despite council planning officers insisting there was no reason for delaying the application further.

Councillors deferred the application at a meeting on Thursday so uncertainties over the location of a doctors' surgery could be ironed out.

If shops are built on land originally earmarked for a surgery, there would be limited space for future development.

And with a national pub chain keen to move onto the estate, councillors fear hopes for a surgery could vanish into thin air.

There were plans to locate a surgery into a scaled down community centre, but this looks increasingly unlikely, with the centre due to be handed over to Hilperton Parish Council, who will act as custodial trustees, by October 1.

The estate's two district councillors joined forces to call for the delay.

Cllr Ernie Clark said it was important to clarify where a surgery could be located before the shop project is voted through.

"If the shops go through and Marshgate has its planning conditions varied then we could lose the chance of bringing a surgery to Paxcroft," he said.

"As usual it works out well for the developer. It would clearly make less money using available space for a doctors' surgery.

"You can't criticise them as its business, but it would be nice to have a space held back for the local Primary Care Trust (PCT) to build a surgery either now or in the future.

"There are another 550 houses going on to the east of Trowbridge development. That equates to another 1,500 to 1,600 people who will need a surgery."

West Wiltshire NHS Primary Care Trust would need to sanction the facility.

But the potential for

a surgery was boosted with news Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire Strategic Health Authority

was awarded nearly £4.5m to spend on

new GP facilities.

l Last week the Wiltshire Times revealed calls for a second doctors' surgery in Westbury.

Campaigners believe the town is struggling to cope, with just one surgery to service its 16,000 population.

Town councillors are planning a march to show PCT bosses the level of support for the campaign.

A site is earmarked for a surgery on the 1,000-home Leigh Park estate, as part of the council's legal agreement with Persimmon Homes.