UNCERTAINTY remains over the multi-million pound North Gate development in Devizes.

Kennet District Council and developers Heritage Commercial Properties have still not signed a deal to start the development.

The partners had hoped to start on the development before Christmas this year.

They have told the Gazette that discussions have taken longer than expected but they are still committed to the development, which would see a mix of retail buildings and housing on the site between New Park Street, Snuff Street and the Market Place.

Proposals for a new centre for Wiltshire College are back in the discussions after being dropped previously.

An update on the situation will be considered in a confidential session by Kennet District Council's policy and finance committee on Tuesday.

Ron Crook, director of community services at Kennet District Council, said he was unable to explain why the discussions were taking longer than expected because there were contractual issues still to be resolved.

He said: "We have been working with Heritage through the summer.

"They have been thinking of various ways of moving forward.

"It's just taken a long time to get to a position where the options are clear.

"At the policy and finance meeting on December 4 members will be presented with proposals from Heritage and they are to do with the nuts and bolts of the agreement.

"There are legal and financial issues we have to overcome and they are fairly sensitive. Whatever is decided at the meeting more work will still need to be done before Kennet and Heritage can sign an agreement.

"Heritage are still very keen to work with us and we are still committed to making the North Gate development work."

Heritage, based in Winchester, had planned to develop Devizes Wharf in addition to the North Gate centre but their links with the Wharf were severed when Wiltshire County Council put forward proposals to build a new county record office on the site.

To compensate for the loss of the Wharf, Heritage is planning to build a residential and community development in Pewsey.

Miles Ashley, managing director of Heritage Commercial Properties, told the Gazette: "Heritage remain committed to their continued partnership with Kennet District Council to deliver the Devizes North Gate and Pewsey town centre developments. Heritage have invested significant time and financial resource to understand how these schemes can be optimised.

"We are close to being able to reach a conclusion and interest in the scheme from retailers remains positive.''

He added:" The county council proposals to use the Wharf site for the county record office, thus removing the Wharf site from our Devizes scheme, has proved particularly challenging and perhaps time consuming but we continue to work hard to improve the social content of the scheme and have recently been in discussion with Kennet regarding the inclusion of a college facility on the North Gate site."

jcrooks@newswilts.co.uk