RED tape is threatening to tie the future of the Ushers bottling plant up in knots as government officers announce a further two-week delay.

Developers wanting to transform the former bottling plant into housing, shops and leisure facilities are being forced to carry on with the groundwork regardless or face problems in the future.

Foinavon and Mystique's plans to rejuvenate the site are being reviewed by officials at the Government Office for the South West.

GoSW officers have the final say on whether to call the application in for a public inquiry but a decision is long overdue.

A further two-week delay has angered civic leaders and heightened fears over a section of the scheme a 19-home social housing development part-funded by West Wiltshire Housing Society which is threatened with the axe unless the project progresses without a hitch.

Foinavon's development director Paul Bench said the company was trying to counteract the mounting problems.

"We have taken steps to mitigate the problems that the Government Office's delay in making a decision is causing," he said.

"That is why we have introduced West Wilts Housing Society to the future developers of the residential site on Union Street, so that matters can be progressed irrespective of the decision being announced.

"This means that if we are given the green light in two weeks time, we will already have covered much of the groundwork and thereby lessened the impact of the delay."

A building contract needs to be in place by January 2004 for the scheme to go-ahead as planned.

Civic leaders and West Wilts MP Dr Andrew Murrison, who has been a key force in pressing for a decision, are angered by the latest in a long line of delays.

Former mayor and district council economic portfolio holder Jeff Osborn, said he feared big name stores Marks and Spencers and TK Maxx could be put-off coming to Trowbridge with the ongoing problems.

He said: "I am extremely disappointed. Central government should be setting an example of how to progress planning applications.

"We keep getting initiatives sent through about speeding up the planning process but it seems to be a case of the pot calling the kettle black."

Planners have already approved blueprints for a housing development on the former Ushers brewery plant.

A concrete bridge linking-up to the former brewery is to be demolished over two weekends in November.

The Conigre will be closed from November 16 to 17 and 23 to 24 for the demolition work to take place.