THE former Allington Special School in Chippenham, has been demolished.

Wiltshire County Council contractors last week to pulled down classrooms, which have been empty since 1998.

The county council has drawn up an outline proposal to build up to 100 homes on the site which has been submitted to North Wiltshire District Council.

Wiltshire county councillor Sandie Webb said any more homes in Chippenham would put even more pressure on the town's resources.

"We realise the site has to be developed, but people need community facilities," she said.

Coun Webb approached more than 3,000 householders and said the majority were against more homes.

Vandals have plagued the school buildings since it closed. Windows have been damaged and classrooms and graffiti sprayed on the walls.

In May 2000 arsonists destroyed about a quarter of the building after starting fires in several different parts of the school.

A spokesman for the county council said all empty buildings attracted a certain amount of vandalism but it was not the sole reason for its demolition.

"We don't need the building as a school," said the spokesman.

"The plan is that if planning permission is granted, then the county council will sell the land to a developer.

"The money released from the sale of the land will be put into the county council's capital buildings projects programme."

But Coun Webb said the money from the sale of the school and its land would not necessarily be ploughed back into school buildings.

"The council has lots of buildings, not just schools," she said.

"I want to make sure that during any negotiations the people of Chippenham and that area in particular, are involved with what happens on that site."