THE battle to claim a religious site in Westbury is due to be resolved at a meeting in the town on Thursday.

West Wiltshire District Council has already received a bid from Jehovah's Witnesses in the area for the site, which is due to be built on the town's Leigh Park estate. But last week Westbury Churches Together added its name into the fray with a plan to use the site as a nursery.

The religious site would be used jointly with a planned community centre on the estate. Now both sides must wait for the district council's decision on February 5.

The new proposal, which is backed by the Leigh Park Community Association (LPCA), was lodged after a questionnaire revealed 94 percent of residents on the estate supported the move.

The survey asked 566 households on the estate eight questions about what developments they would like to see. The final question asked which of three options they preferred for the religious site; a Jehovah's Witness Kingdom Hall, a nursery, or something else.

The results showed that 431 of the 460 homes who responded favoured the nursery option with only nine backing the Kingdom Hall.

LPCA chairman and Westbury councillor Russell Hawker said: "The Westbury Churches Together bid for the religious site is the one that has the moral high ground because it represents the broad wishes of the relevant community which is supposed to benefit from the site.

"The Jehovah's Witnesses have never bothered to come and consult with the residents about how the religious site should serve the community.

"In contrast Westbury Churches Together have made it clear from the start that they are interested in helping the community maximise the benefits of the estate."

The Leigh Park questionnaire also revealed there was likely to be sufficient demand for the proposed 100-place nursery. The estate could now see a new pub or licensed social club after almost 90 percent of residents backed the idea.