DEMONSTRATORS from Calne are vigorously campaigning against controversial plans to build 36 new homes on an untouched wildlife ‘haven’.

Protestors have said they are concerned about property developer GreenSquare’s plans to construct the houses on green land south of Castle Walk, which have attracted 29 letters of complaints since the application was placed with Wiltshire Council.

The proposed access for the site would go from Sarum Way across an old bridleway of Castle Walk and more than 70 trees are expected to be cut down if the project goes ahead.

Patricia Appleby, who lives in Silbury Road, said: “The site, that use to be allotments, is a wonderful haven. Deer, foxes, owls, grass snakes, slow worms, great crested newts and even a hedgehog have been seen on the site.

“When Oak Close on Curzon Park was built 116 slow-worms from that development were moved to this haven.

“The design of the houses is also awful. They are in a long row. There have been a number of less than favourable comments about the design and layout of the proposed development.

“GreenSquare do propose that some of the site be retained as an ecological area that together with the retained areas of hedging will make up about 45% of the site in the long term.

“However, the likelihood is that a lot of the wildlife will move from the site because of the inevitable disturbance of the building works and never return.”

The consultation period for the application is set to run until Thursday, June 23, with a target date for the decision for mid-August.

The Calne Town Development and Planning Committee recommended the plan for refusal when it is scheduled to come before Wiltshire Council.

In a letter sent to council Brian Hick, of Sarum Way, said: “My first concern is the effect on Sarum Way, which will be transformed from a quiet cul-de-sac into a through route carrying an additional perhaps 40-50 vehicles.

“For a small residential road this will be a major load and will have severe implications in traffic noise and safety.

“It is also likely that the proposed pinch point at the crossing of Castle Walk footpath may lead to severe congestion at peak times.”

John Owen, GreenSquare's development project manager, said: “Before submitting our planning application, we carried out extensive ecological surveys at the site and our plans include considerable steps to improve habitats and to protect local wildlife, before, during and after the building work is complete.

“This includes relocating slow worms and grass snakes; protecting the mature trees in the area; bringing the existing overgrown orchard back into use; creating a corridor for foraging bats; and installing bird and bat boxes in the mature trees to provide nesting opportunities at the site.

“We are proposing that a significant proportion of the land – nearly half – is retained, improved and managed as a wildlife area, and made more accessible to the local community.

“We have also committed to the ongoing management and future maintenance of the area, which at present is unmanaged and has become heavily overgrown, to keep it in a good condition for people to enjoy.”