Ref. 28596-14GREEN space at the former St Ivel factory in Wootton Bassett has been protected under revised plans for the site.

A development brief, drawn up by North Wiltshire District Council, has been significantly altered in light of a six-week public consultation, which took place last year.

The new scheme safeguards the open hillside in the north-eastern corner and recommends that Wiltshire Wildlife Trust should manage it.

The Grade II listed former Beaufort Brewery is earmarked for an arts centre after huge public support for the project however, funding still needs to be found for it.

The ownership of office buildings called Station House will be transferred to Wootton Bassett Town Council.

Town mayor Marion Sweet said: "I am very pleased with the revised plans. Local people were very keen for their voices to be heard and it seems they have been listened to."

The brief was drawn up in conjunction with Uniq, owner of the Station Road site, through its agent King Sturge.

The district council received 301 written responses about the plans and more than 120 people attended a special meeting in October.

People also expressed a desire for a by-pass and a train station but the council deems the St Ivel development to be too small to finance such major infrastructure changes.

Other changes to the brief include:

New houses along Station Road should only be two-storey in keeping with Victorian terraces opposite

Mini-roundabouts where Station Road meets New Road and Nore Marsh Road to ease traffic flow

An extra bus stop on the site to encourage people to use green transport

The amount of housing and the number of employment posts planned for the 27-acre site remains broadly similar with 340 houses and provision for 350 jobs.

If sufficient funding for an arts centre cannot be found, the building will have to be transferred back to the developers after five years, who must redevelop it for employment use.

Coun Sweet added: "The town council is fully behind the idea of an arts centre but we have already said we cannot support it in terms of funding."

The brief also stipulates that the developer must contribute £41,949 to the Kennet and North Wiltshire Primary Care Trust to cover the short term costs associated with the increase in population, while the Government decides how much extra money to give the trust. And the Local Education Authority has requested £1,720 per new dwelling with two or more bedrooms.

District councillors will decide whether to adopt the brief as supplementary planning guidance, which would influence any future planning application, at a public spaces and local plans panel on Wednesday at Monkton Park, Chippenham, beginning at 6pm.