MALMESBURY Primary School will not be extended while plans for a new school are being discussed, education officer Malcolm Dodd told the town meeting last week.

Mr Dodd gave a short presentation outlining plans, which would involve giving the current Malmesbury School site to developer Persimmon Homes in return for a new school on land owned by Persimmon adjacent to Reeds Farm.

He promised public consultation on the proposal before any decisions were made.

In October it was announced that the school would get more than £300,000 to replace temporary buildings, but at last Thursday's meeting Mr Dodd said the money would not be spent on a school that was likely to be demolished.

"There is a question of investment and value for money," he said.

"There are another 259 schools in Wiltshire, so I have to think, wouldn't that money be better spent elsewhere?"

But he agreed with parents that the school did need improved facilities.

"We fully realise that we cannot leave the school in limbo," said Mr Dodd.

There were tough questions for Mr Dodd with residents concerned that, while the council was looking at the Persimmon proposal, other options were not being considered.

Parent Tristan Cork suggested that, rather than handing the land over to Persimmon, it could be sold to the highest bidder and the cash raised could pay for a new primary school on the Filands site, which the education authority already owns.

But Mr Dodd said that this land was too far from the centre of town.

Town councillor Jo Price voiced concerns that the plan was not looking far enough into the future and at what will happen as Malmesbury grows larger and more children come to the town.

A spokesman for the school said: "We love it where we are, but this is a real opportunity to move these children into the 21st century."