A CONTROVERSIAL plan to build a large DIY store in Amesbury has been given the go-ahead, despite widespread objection from local residents.

Following a heated debate at last week's meeting of Salisbury district council's northern area committee, councillors voted in favour of the application to build a Focus DIY store on the site of a disused transport depot on London Road.

Although some councillors said they could not support the scheme, the majority could find no sound planning reasons to refuse it.

They also felt a Focus store - Focus is the second-largest DIY retailer in the UK - would improve the appearance of the existing site and provide a much-needed retail boost for the town's economy.

But the green-light decision was greeted by dismay by the 80-plus residents who had attended the meeting to object to the plan, which will see a 2,480sqm warehouse with car parking for 105 vehicles built on London Road.

Salisbury MP Robert Key was also present - at the request of local residents.

Speaking after the meeting, he said: "I'm glad I came because today's decision has confirmed what I have felt for some years - that the planning process is unfair.

"The developers have the right of appeal if they lose but the hundreds of local people who don't approve have no right.

He added: "Fair play has been done today in terms of existing planning law - I don't like the law, but it was followed correctly."

Local residents were represented by Mark Lewis, who told the Journal that more than 350 people had signed a petition objecting to the proposed store and another 100 had formally objected in writing.

He said most were worried that a large store on London Road would dramatically increase the volume of traffic using the road, despite no formal objection to the proposal from the county council's highways department.

"The county council's transportation assessment was neither comprehensive nor robust," said Mr Lewis, himself a London Road resident.

"It did not refer to the children's nursery opposite the site.

"It also failed to mention the 14 accidents that have occurred on this road since January 2002."

Mr Lewis also said the development would not be on land allocated in the local plan for employment and that the Focus store would be better situated elsewhere.

He concluded: "The store will be open for long hours, including Sundays and bank holidays.

"There will be an increase in noise, litter, pollution and light intrusion.

"The volume of traffic on London Road will increase significantly, as will the risk of accidents, injuries and fatalities.

"Schoolchildren and the elderly will find it impossible to cross local roads.

"It will have a detrimental effect on the quality of life for local residents and we do not want it - Focus should 'do it all' somewhere else."

But councillors voted six to three in favour of the plan, and the application by Location 3 Properties Ltd will now go to the government office for the south-west.

Provided they have no objections, work on the scheme could start this autumn, subject to a number of conditions.

These include constructing a new right-turn lane on London Road and creating separate entrances for customers and lorries before the store is occupied.