PARK-AND-RIDE - the most controversial dev-elopment ever to affect Wilton, has taken a step nearer reality after district councillors gave it their backing.

At a stormy meeting last week, Wilton Middle School hall was full of people angry that such a scheme was being foisted on them, despite almost unanimous opposition in the town.

Speaker after speaker expressed disgust that a field opposite Land Command, the army base in the Avenue, was to be turned into a car park.

They said it would bring no benefit to Wilton and was being done purely to solve Salisbury's parking and congestion problems.

David Milton, special projects manager for Salisbury district council's development services, outlined the council's scheme. It was in the local plan, he said, and the principle of development was established.

There would be a 692-space car park, built in two phases, and a building housing toilets and a waiting room.

The car park would be open from 6.45am to 8pm Monday to Friday, and from 7.15am to 7.30pm on Saturdays.

There would be a football pitch available for community use with parking and changing rooms between the army base and the park-and-ride site, landscaping, new footpaths and CCTV. Access would be from Kingsway and the Avenue, via a roundabout.

Mr Milton said the Environment Agency, Wiltshire county council, English Heritage, the ministry of defence and English Nature were now satisfied with the plans.

But, he added, there had been "robust opposition" from the town, with two petitions, 54 letters of objection and just one in favour, and overwhelming objection at a public meeting.