TOWN councillors in Marlborough say the town's public school has bowled wide of the mark with its plans for a new two-storey pavilion on its Hyde Lane playing fields.

However today Kennet District Council officers are recommending councillors give the go-ahead to the college scheme.

Members of the town council planning committee voted unanimously on Monday to object to Marlborough College's plans, saying the building would be intrusive in an area of outstanding natural beauty.

The school wants to build a pavilion that would be used for both cricket and rugby. It submitted similar plans just over a year ago but withdrew them after strenuous opposition from both the town council and residents.

Families whose homes overlook the playing fields have again lodged a strong objection and plan to be at Kennet's regulatory committee today when councillors decide on the application.

Planning officers are recommending the granting of full approval for the pavilion subject to a landscaping condition.

They said that although the proposed building would be two storey , it would appear as a single-storey structure because of the slope of the land.

Town councillors said the playing fields form part of the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty where a modern two-storey building would be inappropriate.

They agreed on Monday to repeat their objections to the plans submitted last year, saying the proposed building would be prominent and intrusive in the landscape.

Town councillors said there would be fewer objections if the school proposed putting a pavilion of architectural merit to the west of the sports pitches where it would blend with the slope of the land and background of trees.

Seven letters of objection have been received by Kennet including some from families of Marlborough College employees who believe the proposed building would intrude on the landscape.