A CHALLENGE to hold a public debate on plans that will change the face of Chippenham has been snubbed.

Wiltshire Council’s Core Strategy says nearly 4,000 homes need to be built in the next 13 years, and the greenfield locations suggested on their site allocation plan have provoked outrage.

Ten concerned residents and councillors relating to Monkton Park, Bremhill and Tytherton Lucas, including Wiltshire Councillor Chris Caswill, Chippenham Councillor Nick Murry and Bremhill parish council chair David Wilton, wrote to the Gazette & Herald on March 12 calling for Wiltshire Council to organise a debate on this Chippenham Site Allocation Plan – but have had no response.

The supporters of the Campaign Against Urban Sprawl to the East (CAUSE 2015) group are particularly opposed to building on area east of Monkton Park down to Stanley Lane, involving New Leaze Farm and Hardens Farm.

The letter reads: “We understand that there are those in the local communities, councillors and residents, who favour these developments. Our challenge to them is to have an open public debate where we can put the arguments against the council’s proposed allocation of hundreds of hectares of open space along the Avon River Valley, and the plan’s supporters can come out in the open and defend it.

“We hope they are not afraid to do so.”

It goes on to "challenge those in Chippenham who could do so to organise a public meeting in the coming weeks" and suggests Wiltshire Council's area board or the town council.

The allocation plan was discussed at a Chippenham Area Board at Abbeyfield School on March 2, where members of the public were allowed to ask only one question each.

A Wiltshire Council spokesman said: “The letter is not something we would specifically respond to, but of course all statutory obligations for the consultation have been adhered to.

“There are no plans for a public debate. The next stage is the collation of all the responses to the consultation.”

The consultation attracted about 550 responses, and closed on April 8 following a Wiltshire Council public exhibition in the Neeld Hall on March 16.

The challengers say: “These issues are too important to be left for exhibitions and carefully arranged presentations that exclude public argument.”

Adrian Jones, Chippenham Town Council deputy chief executive, said: “The plan was debated at our full council on March 18 when members of the public had the opportunity to comment and ask questions."

At that meeting Coun Nick Murry, who represents Monkton on Chippenham Town Council, tried to get the town council to lodge an objection.

He called to reduce the number of houses and said the eastern area "would not be necessary were it not for the further increase in housing numbers." Lastly he said an Eastern link road would "inevitably lead to the concreting of the whole area inside the road".

But each of his proposals was voted down, with around twice as many councillors voting against as in favour.

The housing sites will be discussed at a public Wiltshire Council meeting at Trowbridge County Hall on July 12.