A BUSINESS that has been in Wilton for more than 160 years is to move out, allowing 62 homes to be built on its site.

Salisbury district council has approved EV Naish Ltd's plans - the biggest planning application ever put forward for Wilton.

The company, founded in Netherhampton in 1800 and whose business is in traditional and technical felts, has become so successful that it has outgrown its Crow Lane site.

Its outline planning application also includes the demolition of nearby 51-53 North Street - the Wilton Coachworks building - and the construction of two office units and a shop.

Councillors took two hours to approve the plans at a meeting in Salisbury last week.

They praised architect Charter's designs for the houses and flats, welcoming the removal of the ugly industrial buildings.

Despite the objection of English Heritage, they approved the demolition of an 1860s building and applauded the fact that 25 per cent of the homes would be affordable and most would be one-, two- and three-bedroomed.

They heard the developers would make contributions to public transport, recreation and education facilities, and would restore the riverbank and install a footbridge over it.

But they were concerned about the likely volume of traffic, generated by the 62 homes, using narrow Crow Lane and Castle Lane, notwithstanding the fact there would be a reduction in heavy lorries.

The plans include the widening of Castle Lane and the laying of a footpath, the installation of a pinch point in the part of the lane that can take only one car and the widening of the pavement at the junction with North Street.

Some residents, while not being against the development, insisted that Crow Lane and Castle Lane could never be improved enough to make them safe for pedestrians and motorists. They said the extra cars would make the traffic situation in North Street even worse.

Wilton town council supported the development, but shared those concerns.

Project architect David Evans said the plans had been continually modified over 13 months to ensure the development would respect the character of Wilton and, by building 22 homes off Crow Lane and 40 off Castle Lane, there would be an easing of the pressure on Crow Lane.

Members approved the application with more than 30 conditions, including a box junction at the West Street end of Crow Lane, Castle Lane being adopted by Wiltshire county council, once it had been brought up to standard by the developer, and the continued working towards a residents' parking scheme for North Street.