Devizes Town Council strongly objected against plans to build three town houses on land at the back of the old Gazette & Herald building in the Market Place.

Clenche Properties, which has already converted the upstairs of the main part of the building into flats, wants to knock down a building at the back to make room for the town houses.

It also wants to convert the upstairs of the old printing works into a flat and use the downstairs as an office.

The council’s planning committee voted unanimously to oppose the plans on the grounds the work would disturb nesting bats, it was an overdevelopment of the land and would be too close to neighbouring homes.

Home owner Andrew Stevens, of neighbouring Carriage Court, also spoke at the meeting to urge the council to fight the scheme.