Protesters will be out in force to defend the picturesque village of Slaughterford from a new housing development.

North Wiltshire District Council is due to consider two planning applications for two alternative housing schemes at the old Dowding Paper Mill site at Slaughterford near Ford.

But campaign group Action For Slaughterford is determined to protect the site from the latest in a long line of development schemes.

"These plans are not better than the other ones," said villager John Perkins, who ran the group for eight years.

"There are some charmingly drawn plans but they're not Cotswold houses they'd be better fitted for the dockside.

"The houses do not relate to the countryside."

Mr Perkins said the group would protest against any form of residential development on the site. The plans will come before the development control committee on Wednesday at 7pm.

The protesters are concerned about road safety on the narrow lanes leading into the village, damage to local wildlife and possible contamination of the By Brook.

A total of 386 protest letters was sent to the district council, as well as 108 pro-forma letters of objection, though some of the latter were shown to be fraudulent, as the people named later called the district council to say they did not send in comments.

The first proposal is for a village-type scheme of 14 houses, including the conversion of two existing buildings.

The second is for a radical design taking its theme from the historic mills found in the Bybrook valley with nine mill-style homes.

Planning officers have recommended refusing both schemes, as they consider the development is contrary to national and local planning policies that seek to protect the countryside, and a nationally recognised attractive landscape, from inappropriate development.

Mr Perkins said he was aware of the recommendation and hoped the district council committee would back the officers.

"This scheme is against all planning regulations," he said.

The site lies within an extensive Conservation Area, within the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and an area of High Ecological Value.

A district council spokesman said: "The council expects that many people may wish to attend and welcomes such interest.

"However, the council advises that space in the council meeting rooms is limited and apologises in advance if attendance has to be limited for health and safety reasons."