CALNE Town councillors want more involvement in plans for Beversbrook Business Park.

They are to put a proposal to North Wiltshire District Council asking to have a say on the park's future.

The town council's planning and economic regeneration committee called a special meeting on Monday to discuss what they would like to see on the estate and how they want to be involved at grass roots level.

The committee set up a special working group in July to discuss the issues surrounding the marketing of Beversbrook and particularly its potential impact on the existing Porte Marshe Industrial Estate.

Until now the district council has been handling proposals for the site.

The 17 acres of land at Beversbrook was bought by North Wiltshire District Council 18 months ago. It is currently undeveloped and in the process of being marketed to businesses.

The council has issued a marketing brief to its agent Whitmarsh Preece to get the project moving.

However, the town council has had little involvement with the process and fears the brief may not properly take into account a number of factors.

Town clerk Ann Kingdon said: "Members feel that the land may not be marketed in a structured manner to take into account the needs of the current businesses on Porte Marsh, the skills levels available in Calne and the need for a retail or leisure element in the area.

"It was also felt that investigations should be made into the way other business parks are managed in order to assess whether an arms-length operator is a more appropriate method of management rather than in-house management by North Wiltshire District Council."

Councillor John Watkins said: "We would like to be involved in partnership working with the district council for everyone's benefit and up until now we have not been very successful in achieving that.

"Beversbrook will have a huge impact on the existing business at Porte Marsh and the future prosperity and growth of Calne."

During the meeting councillors considered a shopping list of the kind of businesses needed on Beversbrook.

The diverse list includes leisure facilities such as a night club or pub, budget accommodation for visiting business people such as a Travelodge, overnight lorry parking, some retail including the possibility of a DIY store and a camping and caravan site.

The district council carried out a survey nearly two years ago, to establish the views of existing local businesses on the site's development.

Town centre manager Mitch Roberts said: "It is true to say that since the survey very little has been achieved."

He also suggested the district council should look at incorporating a covenant within the lease that required all businesses to contribute a service charge towards the provision of infrastructure services such as signage, toilets and a lorry park.

The town council is keen to move things forward and the committee will make a proposal at a meeting of the full town council on Monday, that the district council be asked to consider the town's views as part of future stages of the planning process.