AN agent for the Ministry of Defence has applied for planning permission to build 127 houses and flats on the site of Le Marchant Barracks in Devizes.

The number of homes applied for is more than double that allocated for the site in Kennet District Council's Local Plan.

The Local Plan says about 50 homes could be built there. But Broadway Malyan Planning Ltd, the agent for Defence Estates says more than 100 homes can be built on the site provided a new access road is built.

The planning brief sent with the planning application to Kennet District Council says: "It should be noted that the allocation of 50 dwellings was based on the capacity of the existing site access (off Hambleton Avenue), which has a restricted width.

"Discussions with Wiltshire County Council and Kennet District Council have confirmed that, with the benefit of a new access road from Hambleton Avenue, a development in excess of 100 dwellings can be provided on the site."

The agent has applied for outline planning permission for approximately 127 two and three-bedroom houses and flats, together with roads, car parking and amenity areas.

No deal has yet been done with potential developers. If planning permission is granted the site will be sold.

The plans submitted by the agent could be changed by the future developer when applying for detailed planning permission.

Kennet District Council has made it clear that it wants to see the two main buildings the barracks and the administrative block retained.

The two buildings are not listed but the council considers that they make a significant architectural contribution to the area and should also be kept for historical reasons.

The agent proposes to convert both buildings and says the barracks could be converted to provide 12 houses and 12 flats and the administrative block could provide nine flats.

An additional 48 houses and 46 flats would be built on the seven-acre site. Some of the housing will be three and four storeys. About 25 of the homes will be low-cost, affordable properties.

Much of the former parade ground will be retained as open space and car parking. The agent plans to retain the wall fronting London Road along with mature trees which cross the site.

The barracks, built in 1878, was originally the home of the Wiltshire Regiment. It has been empty since 1999 when the Territorial Army moved out.

A new county cadet centre is currently being built in the grounds of the barracks and this is not affected by the planning application.

Whoever develops the site will be expected to make a financial contribution towards the proposed new primary school should it be built on land to the east of Quakers Walk.

The agent says there is no evidence of badgers on the site and, although bats are present in some buildings, they will not be endangered by the plans.

It also says the current access into the site will be retained for emergency use only, as well as a pedestrian and cycle link on to Hambleton Avenue.

The agents say that local roads will be able to cope with the additional traffic generated by the housing proposals.

Written comments on the plan should be sent to planning officer Tim Hounsome at Kennet District Council.