DEVELOPER Taywood Homes has said new plans for the controversial Kingston Mill site in Bradford on Avon should be ready by Christmas.

The firm held a public exhibition at the site this week to explain its draft design brief for the project.

Nigel Agg, planning director for Taywood Homes, said: "The design brief is an analysis of the setting of the site and all its constraints and opportunities.

"We really do want responses from the public so we can get it right this time."

Revised plans for the development were torn apart by townspeople in February and were blasted by CABE the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment in March when a fresh start was called for.

Mr Agg said Taywood decided then to start from square-one as it is a very complicated site which poses a number of problems.

Any scheme must take into account the risk of flooding, the muddy nature of the ground, the relationship to Bradford town centre, the traffic situation, the conservation area setting and the existence of bats on site among other things.

Mr Agg said: "It is the most difficult site I have come across in 25 years of planning involvement.

"It wasn't a bad scheme last time but with criticisms like those of CABE in place, we had to start again."

Taywood is now drawing up a draft scheme which will take into account people's views from the current exhibition.

Another exhibition is planned next month for people to comment on draft plans before they are submitted to West Wiltshire District Council in December.

Mr Agg said: "Even when the application has gone in, any comments that come in will be noted. Nothing is set in stone until it is built."