A WRITTEN plea from a nine-year-old girl was among objection letters to a plan for a community hall which has divided opinion on an estate near Melksham.

Schoolgirl Kirsty Evans is unhappy about plans to build a temporary mobile unit and toilet block next to to a play area in Berryfield Park because she said it will take up valuable open space.

But there were also 53 letters of support for the application and groups, including the Berryfield and Semington Road Action Group, backed the idea because they said there is a desperate need for a meeting place in the area.

In her letter, Kirsty said she was not against the idea but would rather have seen it built somewhere else on the estate.

"I play with my friends almost every day there. It is a nice safe spot to play with hardly any traffic," she added.

"We play with our footballs and if you use that spot we will have nowhere to play."

Local resident Amanda Filkins was also against the location of the mobile, which will be placed opposite her house. Her 11-year-old son has the rare genetic disorder Prader-Willi Syndrome, with symptoms which include learning difficulties and obesity.

"We moved here about 10 years ago because it was safe and quiet for our son," said Mrs Filkins.

"He has mobility problems if cars park in the spaces near our house it will cause us problems."

Jonathan Pike, of Berryfield Park, urged people to write letters of objection before a planning meeting last week.

Eleven residents responded, but the proposal was passed with five conditions, including one insisting it is only used as a community hall.

Mr Pike said: "I'm not against the idea, just its location. But now plans have been passed I would like to see it run properly so it is a success rather than a failure.

"I'm unhappy some of the kids playing field is being taken away. Kids seem to be pushed out all the time that is the main reason I got involved."

Consultation by West Wiltshire District Council and Community First identified the need for a community hall. A temporary mobile unit will be used until there is enough demand for a permanent building which could be built in a different area of the estate.

Funding for the facility, which will be run by a management committee, has come from Melksham First, Community First and the Community Foundation.

Cllr Roy While, who has supported the project said: "The people of Berryfield have worked hard to get this far."