PLANS for a new Chippenham neighbourhood with 1,000 homes have been submitted to Wiltshire Council.

Crest Nicholson and Redcliffe Homes, who control about 128 hectares (316 acres) of land south of Chippenham, have put in an outline application to build the houses, plus a 400 sq m foodstore, other shops totalling 300 sq m, and 700 sq m of community buildings, between Patterdown Road to the west and the River Avon to the east, from Coppice Close down to Showell Farm.

Most of the site is currently used as pasture.

Plans also include 78 hectares (198 acres) of publically accessible open grassy areas called Riverside Park, and the Rowden Mile, a new pedestrian and cycle route linking to Chippenham town centre.

Developers also promise to plant new copses and create allotments and new pedestrian footpaths connecting with Lackham College and to a neighbouring employment land planning application at Showell Farm.

Around 100 people submitted written responses after visiting a public exhibition on the proposed Rowden Park held in the town hall in July.

Sarah Foster of SK Planning Link Ltd said more than half supported the proposal. Of the respondents in favour, about a third were in full support and the rest  supported it the principle subject to concerns being satisfied on traffic matters.

She said a proposal for a bus lane on Rowden Hill was removed from the application as a result of the consultation. 

The deadline for comments to Wiltshire Council, reference 14/12118/OUT is January 29 and the target date for a decision is March 24.