THE Chippenham company that persuaded The Range to apply to base its southern distribution centre in the town is now looking to build 2,600 homes in its own separate development.

Chippenham 2020 LLP wants to build an urban extension called Riverside to the east of Monkton Park.

It would involve, over the course of 10 to 20 years, putting 2,600 homes on part of New Leaze Farm and Harden’s Farm.

The plan also includes an eastern link road that would connect the A4 in the south with the A350 in the north.

This would come out close to the proposed Range site, the idea being that it would connect the new Riverside estate with potential employment.

At a public exhibition organised by Chippenham 2020 earlier this month, a panel outlining its vision read: “After much public consultation Wiltshire Council made the provision of jobs alongside new houses a central plank of its growth plans for Chippenham and Chippenham 2020, together with partners, First Industrial, are pleased to have been instrumental encouraging The Range to choose Chippenham as the site for its southern distribution warehouse, to be built on the northern fringe convenient for both the town and the M4.

“This will bring approaching 1,000 new jobs to the town and represent the biggest single new employer coming to Chippenham in over 20 years.”

In The Range’s planning application it said 335 Chippenham residents were claiming Jobseeker's Allowance, of which 58.2 per cent (195 people) were searching for the sort of jobs that The Range would create.

Chris Baker of Allington Action Group, which is campaigning against the distribution centre, said: “Over 80 per cent of these 1,000 jobs created would come from outside Chippenham. Not the promised end to out-commuting then – more than three quarters of promised jobs going to those from elsewhere.”

As of yesterday, online petition figures were 963 for and 1,283 against The Range.

Edward Heard, director of Chippenham 2020, said its Riverside planning application was currently being finalised and 88 people attended the public exhibition.

He said: “There was a broad range of opinions, and we are currently assessing the feedback.”

He said the link road would significantly reduce town centre congestion and improve the daily lives of thousands of people, including those in the villages to the northeast plagued by traffic using the country lanes as rat runs.

It would join up the A350 near the golf club with Stanley Lane next to Abbeyfield School, through fields east of Chippenham, via the new northern housing estate planned for between Hill Corner Road and Birds Marsh.

Ian James, Bremhill parish councillor for the Tytherton Lucas ward, said the road would be dominated by residents of the new estate and offer little respite to those living to the east.

Chippenham 2020’s plans were not included in Wiltshire Council’s assessment of site options for new houses in Chippenham, but Government planning inspector Andrew Seaman breathed new life into the possibility of such an urban extension when he examined Wiltshire Council’s Core Strategy at the end of 2013, concluding the plans had not been given fair consideration.

Chippenham 2020 also owns the Wilkinsons building by the town bridge and the old Royal Mail sorting office, which opened as a Sainsbury’s this month.