By Joanne Kelly

A PUBLIC meeting was called this week to look again at the plan for an eastern link road for Melksham.

People living in Saxifrage Bank, a cul-de-sac off Snowberry Lane, called the meeting in the town hall on Tuesday after discovering that one of the routes of a proposed link road was at the bottom of their gardens.

It is intended that the road will link the A3102 Sandridge Road with Spa Road in the south.

Kevin and Sue Dorman live within the shadow of a proposed route and fear 18,000 plus vehicles a day will avoid the congested town centre and drive within feet of their home.

Mrs Dorman said: "We bought this house because it was quiet and safe for our three children.

Now we face a major road at the bottom of our garden."

She and others living off Snowberry Lane were joined at the meeting by Wiltshire County and West Wiltshire district councillor Nick Westbrook to look at the proposed road and the 1,000 homes allocated to the east of Melksham in the West Wiltshire District Plan.

After the meeting, Mrs Dorman said she was even more confused about what was actually happening and was angry that no-one from West Wiltshire District Council planing department was on hand to answer questions.

She said: "There appears to be no-one who knows what the actual proposals are.

"While we know there will be change and development in Melksham many, of us are not happy about what is going on."

Cllr Westbrook said at the meeting that opinion on a route was divided.

He said: "The two schools of thought are that the new link road should join the Spa Road-Bowerhill roundabout, or join Snowberry Lane.

"I feel people should make their feelings very clear and take the opportunity to comment."

Objections and comments about the Local Plan have to be made to the district council by December 21.

Mrs Dorman said: "If people want quality of life and don't want thousands of cars, lorries, buses and vans racing up and down Snowberry Lane day and night, they should come along to the meeting and register their concerns."