A PLAN for new-look changing rooms at Stanley Park playing fields in Chippenham should be handed in for planning approval soon.

Chippenham Town Council was forced to rethink its plans for a curved roof on the building because costs proved too high.

A pitched roof option has now been agreed by councillors.

At a meeting of the town council's strategy and resources committee last week members confirmed the contract.

The council faced a £200,000 shortfall in the budget for the changing rooms but a series of cost cuts have brought the project into line.

The council, basing its budget on the Football Foundation benchmark for changing rooms, set aside £733,000 for the project, but the lowest of four tenders came in at £928,000 and the highest at more than £1.2 million.

The facility will include six changing rooms, three referees' rooms, a reception area and an education room. There will also be a small kitchen.

But the cost of providing services to the playing field site has proved to be an expensive part of the bid.

The changing rooms will cover 568 square metres.

It is anticipated that the whole project will take more than 30 weeks to complete.

The town council was hoping for completion by August 2004, but the rethink over the roof design could delay it until October or November.

Work has already begun on draining and sowing the playing pitches at Wedmore Farm, off Stanley Lane.