CAMPAIGNERS who are determined to save the Goldiggers building in Chippenham from the bulldozer have submitted their objections to North Wiltshire District Council.

Members of the Preservation of Gaumont Goldiggers group put together a substantial bundle of information about their campaign, in a bid to fend off plans by developers to tear down the Art Deco building in Timber Street, and replace it with shops and retirement flats.

The campaign case was handed over to the district council on Thursday last week.

The group has raised six objections and has included 200 letters of protest from local people and clubs and groups who want to see a new entertainment venue in the town.

"We don't think all the councillors want to see this demolished," group member David Reeves said.

"I have a gut feeling many are just going with the flow. There is a lot of politics involved with the need to meet quotas for brownfield development."

The group has campaigned for the preservation of the former nightclub and Gaumont cinema for years and is now channelling its energy into halting the proposal to flatten the building.

Developers Tribecka Land Ltd have joined forces with Churchill Retirement Living to demolish Goldiggers and redevelop the site with 650 square metres of commercial space, 49 sheltered apartments at first floor level, together with communal facilities and car parking.

The group says the building is is the only remaining example of an Art Deco cinema in the district.

It has also protested against the loss of a town centre location for a community facility and the lack of performing arts facilities.

Mr Reeves said: "Chippenham has already suffered the loss of dozens of important buildings and with the benefit of hindsight planners must surely regret many of their past actions."