Village set for new battle to save field

The development comes after another application in the past month to build 18 homes on land adjacent to Southend House.

The latest application has been submitted by Cirencester firm Colburn Homes for a mix of two and three bedroom homes.

But villagers want to retain the Bell field as open space and they want North Wiltshire District Council to change the status of the land from its present state, which allows for development, to one which will allow only local community, education and recreation facilities to be built there.

Luckington parish councillor Bill Plews said the council had been trying for the last four years to make the change.

He said: "The parish council has concentrated its efforts to have the Bell field moved from the development plan. We have tried for the last four years and the council had done nothing about it. We now have until May 15 to apply for changes."

Colburn Homes said it has included a mix of housing in the scheme that would benefit the community.

Managing director Martin Evans said: "We think the scheme will help the local community and school by attracting young families to the village.

"A local architect from Malmesbury, who does a lot of work in the area, has designed the houses as sensitively as he can."

This is the third application to build houses at the Bell field.

An application in 1999 was refused and in 2001 a coach load of villagers was transported to Bushton Village Hall to watch district planners unanimously throw out another application.

Villager Shirley Story, 55, objected to the last application and said she still feels the same way.

"It is an area in the centre of the village, it could be very nice but it's an awful mess at the moment," she said.

"I think the design of the houses is better than in the previous application but it is just ridiculous that, with the other application of 18 homes, there could be 30 houses built in a small village like ours."