CRICKLADE Pre-school Play-group's plans to move to a bigger building have suffered a set back.

The playgroup, which has been running for 40 years in the town hall, has been in talks with North Wilt-shire District Council about leasing the site of the former Cricklade library building in Bath Road on a five year basis.

They successfully applied for planning permission for a change of use of the library building, owned by Wiltshire County Council, in Sep-tember 2000.

And NWDC which owns the land, confirmed in writing the agreement of a five-year lease by the playgroup earlier this year.

But the group has now been told the district council was unwilling to commit to the lease of the site for the forseeable future. Officials said there was a possibility of the land being developed for affordable housing.

Playgroup chairman Jo Mackenzie said: "We weren't given any warning and we haven't been given a proper explanation. We've been let down after two years of making plans to move from the town hall and suddenly been told it's not likely to go ahead."