A LONG-RUNNING battle over noise levels could force a Wiltshire music school to move premises after nearly 40 years.

Despite spending £11,000 on soundproofing and £5,000 on legal costs the Trowbridge-based Wiltshire Rural Music School is now contemplating moving from its home in Gloucester Road.

Problems arose when a complaining tenant led environmental health officers to slap a noise abatement order on the school effectively banning all brass band playing from the classrooms.

The abatement order has been in place for 17 months and the music school is in the process of taking West Wiltshire District Council's decision to appeal through the courts.

Director Faye Caley said throwing money at the problem was not coming up with a solution and relocation was one of a number of options under consideration.

One of the options includes paying for a new building on the same site as nearby John of Gaunt School.

Miss Caley said: "We are looking into all sorts of possibilities.

"We are getting nowhere fast. If we can't satisfy the environmental health officer we might need to relocate.

"What we would really like to do is build another music school close to where we are now.

"It has been terribly frustrating but we have become quite successful because of the adverse publicity."

Music lessons and band practice continue in the school's home for the last 37 years while the appeal process continues, but complaints are still being made to the district council's environmental health team.

Miss Caley said she has received e-mails from council officers offering support and help and vowed the school would not be forced out of Trowbridge.

"There is no way we are closing down because of one person's complaints. If we have to move to somewhere else so be it."

Cllr Jeff Osborn said he would support any plans by the school to move onto new premises.

The school is celebrating 70 years in Trowbridge with a commemorative concert planned for the Holy Trinity Church in October.