RESIDENTS of a village near Westbury voiced their fears about a nine-house development on farmland near their home at a meeting last Wednesday night.

The application for land at Court Farm, Edington, was approved at West Wiltshire District Council's southern area committee last week, despite claims it would cause an increase in traffic and close the gap between the Edington and Bratton.

Resident Richard Baxter said: "There are no positive aspects to this proposal apart from profits to the developers."

Developers York King said the proceeds of knocking down the livestock structures and building the houses would go towards redeveloping an existing dairy at Lower Baynton.

District councillors stressed the importance of helping farmers through the current farming crisis by supporting this type of applications.

Cllr Michael Jones said: "The agricultural problems are biting hard in west Wiltshire and we should be open-minded when farmers come up with ways to increase capital."

Cllr Len Osborn added that if farms such as this were allowed to become defunct, the countryside areas would deteriorate at a rapid rate.

He said: "If the countryside was not used by farmers, then our countryside would become a wilderness. I think there are strong reasons to support the farming community."