DETAILED plans for the new 550-home estate at Boscombe Down have been unveiled at a meeting of Amesbury town council.

These include plans for the community centre, playing fields and changing rooms, children's play areas, retail centre and affordable housing. The latter is particularly good news for young professionals struggling to buy a property in the area, as 138 affordable homes are to be built on the estate.

And, although the proportions of rented to shared accommodation have yet to be finalised, it is thought that a range of financial packages will be available, from 100 per cent rental schemes to 30 per cent rental, and 70 per cent shared ownership.

Speaking at last week's meeting, Amesbury's deputy mayor John Noeken said: "This will go some way to restoring the balance of affordable housing needed within the Salisbury district. That is something we are very proud of."

The scheme for the much-needed community centre has to be approved by Salisbury district council before the commencement of the 150th home.

But if approved, the 450sqm centre will include a main hall, two youth rooms, a computer room and a kitchen.

The playing fields will be in the centre of the development and will be large enough to accommodate a cricket square and two football fields.

A pavilion and associated changing rooms will be built nearby and will contain separate changing areas, a communal shower area and a kitchen.

The new estate will also include two play areas. Finally, councillors heard that the new estate would accommodate a small retail centre, which the developers must provide before work starts on the last phase of construction.

The exact details are still subject to final negotiations but there is scope for this area to include a pub.

Commenting on the plans, Mr Noeken said: "Officers and members of Salisbury district council were taken to visit housing developments in Dorset about 18 months ago.

"From those visits, we formulated the need to have a strict and imaginative design where people would be proud to live, while at the same time retaining the individual character of the village scene in Amesbury."

At present, developer Bloor Persimmon only has outline planning permission but the company is expected to submit a full application by the end of July and, if successful, work could start in January 2005.