Protestors against the Rabley Wood View development were out in force at Marlborough Town Council's planning meeting last night to show their objections to the application.

The committee deferred a decision on the application until next Monday’s meeting when they hope to have more information from Wiltshire Council about the impact the development would have.

The application has been submitted by the sons of late multi-millionaire Robert Sangster who want to build 46 houses on open space north of Rabley Wood View.

In exchange for this land, which is owned by Wiltshire Council, Ben and Guy Sangster have offered 14 hectares nearby land currently owned by the Manton Estate.

The planning committee is also waiting for evidence that the land the Sangster family are offering would be a like for like swap in both quality and size.

Around 30 residents attended the meeting which had to be moved from the council chamber to the court room to accommodate all the protestors.

Resident Jayne Baker said: “We found that the existing recreation area in Rabley Wood is covered by section 52 which states that the land is to be used for nothing other than recreation unless a suitable alternative can be provided.

“The replacement land is unsuitable because it’s a flood plain and it’s waterlogged for months of the year.

“The traffic report that has been paid for by the Manton Estate has quoted that an additional 250 car journeys a day, at least, will happen but somehow the same report suggests that it will have no effect on either the estate or the nearby junction.”

Residents were supported by councillors, many of whom spoke of their concerns about the application.

Mayor Guy Loosmore said: “This is a detailed and complex planning application.

"Having looked at it in a lot of detail we find that there is a lot of detail missing that needs to be bought to us before any reasonable decision can be taken.

“It is certainly not clear at the moment as to how this should go forward.”

The application has already been called in by Coun Stewart Dobson and will be discussed by the Eastern Area Board planning committee.