The Crown Estate has submitted a planning application for up to 260 houses at a greenfield site on the edge of Devizes.

The plans, on two agricultural fields it owns next to Lay Wood in Bishops Cannings, have been submitted while a rival application by Mactaggart and Mickel for 350 houses next to Coate Bridge is still under consideration by Wiltshire Council.

The Crown Estate believes its planning application is a better alternative to the Coate Bridge plan.

Both sites are not allocated in the Local Plan and until the Wiltshire Core Strategy and Devizes Neighbourhood Development Plan are adopted, the developers say their plans comply with the Government’s National Planning Policy Framework for sustainable development.

The Devizes Neighbourhood Plan, drawn up by Devizes Town Council and Roundway and Bishops Cannings parish councils, says that both Lay Wood and Coate Bridge planning applications would be unsustainable.

The Crown Estate plans to build a new roundabout junction on Horton Road to access the site at Lay Wood.

Just over a third of the homes would have three bedrooms, another third would be four-bedroom houses and the remainder would provide five and two-bedroom accommodation.

In its planning application, The Crown Estate says construction would start in 2015 and take four years to complete. It says Lay Wood would be retained and children’s play areas and amenity open space would be created, plus new trees planted along the frontage to Horton Road. It also says it would improve cycle and footpath links.

The planning application is in outline form and, if granted, another application with the details of the scheme would be made.

Steve Melligan, strategic land manager at The Crown Estate, said: “Our scheme offers an excellent alternative location for new homes and has been informed by our consultation with the local community and detailed technical work.”

Bishops Cannings Parish Council will discuss the planning application at the village hall on July 11 at 7.30pm.