A PLANNING application for the centre of Calne will run roughshod over the masterplan holding the town back for years says the ex-chairman of a community planning group.

The application, by McCarthy & Stone, will see the redevelopment of land in The Pippin into 32 high-quality retirement apartments.

Bob Marshall, of Our Place community group, believes it would entirely derail the master plan bringing a halt to current designs for a leisure and retail complex in the town.

Mr Marshall said: “It will drive a coach and horses through the master plan as what they are planning is situated smack bang where we would have the leisure or retail centre.

“That is something that would attract people into Calne and it desperately needs something like that.

“We have a lot of new people coming in but they have to go elsewhere to spend their cash or go shopping.

“The retail sector has not kept pace with the speed of growth in the town. Calne has grown by some 50% in recent years.”

Calne’s master plan was created by planning consultants Urbanisme and Townswork with the help of Calne Town Council, members of the town team and other stakeholders.

It focuses mainly on the development of The Pippin and Phelps Parade, with ideas on how to improve the Castlefields area and the main A4 route into town.

Mr Marshal added: “It is a shame as I think most of us would welcome McCarthy & Stone if only they had picked a better site.

“It means that a critical site in the town centre is lost and we will have residential units put where actually people want shopping.

“People will continue to go elsewhere to shop and stuff like this keeps Calne down and stops it from developing.”

A spokesperson for McCarthy & Stone said: “Our scheme for The Pippin represents a multi-million pound investment right in the heart of Calne which tidies up a long overgrown and neglected central site with a thoughtfully designed development.

“We have assessed the likely traffic generation and movement as a result of our scheme in this location, and will proactively work with the council to minimise any impact on surrounding roads.”