By Joanne Moore

A LAND swap deal which would give Westbury a sporting complex in return for a new housing site has been revealed.

Matravers School, Westbury, and West Wiltshire District Council are both considering selling playing field sites to housing developer Persimmon Homes.

The builder already has planning permission to build 800 homes at Westbury Leigh and is expected to have this number increased to 960 under recommendations in the new district plan.

If the land swap goes ahead up to an extra 100 houses could be built on six acres of land owned by the school at Redland Lane and 2.5 acres owned by the council at Penleigh.

Westbury mayor and chairman of the governors of Matravers John Clegg this week described the project as a massive opportunity to get excellent sporting facilities in the town.

The school would gain all-weather pitches and a running track on its own site and share soccer, rugby, and hockey pitches on land provided by the developer at Westbury Leigh.

Mr Clegg said: "This is a real window of opportunity for Westbury to get wonderful sporting facilities.

"The town would gain all round. The school would get all-weather pitches and would swap six acres for 12 and if the district goes ahead there would be another 12 acres. I can't see how anyone who cares about Westbury can object to this."

Westbury Youth football chairman Neil Hawker said discussions had been held with most of the town's sports clubs and they all stood to benefit.

He said: "This is a fantastic opportunity or all of us."

West Wiltshire District Council chief executive Jeffrey Ligo said the council had to be careful to separate its responsibilities as a land owner and as a planning authority.

The policy of selling the land at Penleigh will be discussed at a private meeting of a leisure review group on Monday. Its recommendation will go public at a policy meeting in December.

Matravers School has to hold a 10 week consultation exercise on its plans to sell Redland Lane. The results of this will then be considered by the Government's education secretary.

Persimmon (Wessex) managing director David Thornton said his company had a long-term commitment to Westbury.

He said: "Under planning guidelines this land swap would have to result in a sporting gain. We have not yet identified exactly where the land for the sports facilities would be. All of this is still very much at an early stage."

Mr Thornton will be at a Westbury town council meeting on Monday evening.