REVISED plans to build 13 flats on the site of a Georgian house in Marlborough have been criticised for a second time by town councillors.

Developers Standard Housing Co want to demolish Sempringham, which stands at the foot of Salisbury Road, backing on to homes in George Lane and Van Diemens.

Neighbours say the proposed new block of 13 flats will overlook their homes and gardens.

Objectors say there is inadequate parking shown in the plans for the number of flats proposed and that the residents' cars will have to use the narrow access lane which has a dangerous junction with Salisbury Road.

The latest plans are a modification of an earlier scheme that members of the town council planning committee voted against in May.

On Monday the committee heard that the amended plans showed little change, although chairman Coun Graham Francis said: "The developers have gone some way towards addressing the issues."

He said the proposed area of the new building was slightly smaller and the scheme had been reduced from 15 to 13 flats.

There were eight letters of objection and eight letters supporting the application although several of those in favour came from relatives of the family trying to sell Sempringham, formerly a nursing home.

The committee heard the developers intend to have the access road made up with sight splays provided at the Salisbury Road entrance.

But Coun Maurice Cooper said he had it on reliable authority that the developer did not own the access lane and had no rights to carry out any work on it.

Coun Derek Smithers said some people were supporting the plans in the belief that low cost homes were being provided.

He said: "We all know that it can't be low cost housing."

Coun Bill Cavill said that as some of the proposed apartments were more than 1,000 square feet and had four bedrooms there was little chance that they would be priced at the lower end of the market.

The committee agreed to reiterate its objection to the earlier plans on the grounds that the scheme involved unnecessary demolition of one of the few examples of Georgian houses in Marlborough; lack of privacy for neighbouring properties and increased use of the access lane with its dangerous access on to Salisbury Road.