A plan that would aim to control where future housing will go in Devizes is out for public consultation.

The Devizes Area Neighbourhood Plan suggests small-scale housing developments take place and it was put together by Devizes town and Roundway and Bishops Cannings parish councils.

The plan has to be approved by Wiltshire Council and once it is in place it will run alongside the authority’s core strategy for future development.

The plan’s submission states: “The core strategy has identified that there is a requirement for a further 405 houses to be built in the Devizes Community area, although it falls short of identifying where any housing should be located.

“All the three parishes believe that although further housing development is essential to deal with a small housing shortfall, clear guidance must be produced to identify locations for housing developments. Having no strategic plan to identify housing locations could be a recipe for disaster, undermining the objectives within the core strategy.

“A particular area of concern for the three parishes revolves around the potential exacerbation of already significant traffic congestion in the town and a resulting reduction in air quality.”

Consultation on the plan runs until September 4. Visit www.wiltshire.gov.uk/neigh bourhoodplanning