PLANS for the proposed housing development on the St John's lower school site in Chopping Knife Lane in Marlborough get their first public airing on Tuesday.

Crest Nicholson has been chosen by the governors of St John's School and Community College as their preferred developer for the 5.2 hectare site.

The developers are putting on an exhibition of their initial proposals at the town hall on Tuesday from 3pm to 9pm.

Crest Nicholson spokesman Daniel Jones said it was to be a public consultation event to discuss the company's proposal and gauge local opinion.

Mr Jones said: "We are trying to be very up front and transparent and get people involved early in the process."

The development of the Chopping Knife Lane site is a key factor in bringing the long awaited combination of the two St John sites.

It is proposed that a new school, designed to blend in with its hill-top position, will be built on the upper school site.

A new access road is planned from the Pewsey road at the top of Granham Hill to resolve the existing problem of school buses and other traffic using the estate roads through Cherry Orchard.

The local authorities are insisting that up to 50 per cent of the new homes have to be low-cost or social housing.

When the St John's plans were discussed at an early stage, 150 homes were suggested for the Chopping Knife Lane site. But the current Government guidelines permit up to 50 homes per hectare, which could mean 250 new houses.