A WILTON company with a worldwide reputation has had to consider moving from the site it has occupied for 300 years because there is no room to expand.

Wilton Carpet Factory has been steadily growing since 1995, when it was closed down by its American owners and then started up again following a management buy-out by managing director Peter Le Count and two colleagues.

It now employs 120 staff and is the lynchpin of the Wilton Shopping Village, the retail centre that welcomes thousands of visitors a year.

But its success - it has won major contracts with top hotels and football clubs and, most recently, a London library - has led to the need for more space, and that is proving difficult to find in Wilton or the surrounding area.

The Journal reported earlier this month the launch by the South Wiltshire Economic Partnership of a commercial property website.

It was launched in response to local businesses' concerns at a shortage of commercial premises generally, and particularly in Salisbury.

Mr Le Count, who is vice-chairman of SWEP, said at the launch that the service would help businesses to develop by making sure there was a good supply of property available.

His own company's problem was highlighted by Wilton's Salisbury district councillors, Peter Edge and Anthony Brown-Hovelt, during a meeting last week to discuss demolishing the former AE Goetze factory in nearby Nether-hampton and building more than 140 houses on the site (see story on page 5).

Cllr Edge said he disagreed with the inspector who presided over the inquiry into the latest local plan, who said the district was over-provided for in terms of employment land. Mr Edge said there was a lack of warehousing, and this meant Wilton Carpet Factory "may have to relocate to Andover".