RESIDENTS in Lyneham are optimistic for the return of their village post office, more than 18 months after the branch was temporarily closed.

The Post Office is proposing to reopen the branch, which closed in January 2014, as part of the new development at Edmonds Garage on The Green in Lyneham.

A six week consultation on the suitability of the plans has been opened by the Post Office, ahead of the finalisation of the plans, and will close on September 24.

The consultation will look at how suitable the new location and premises are, how easy is it for customers to get to and any concerns regarding the location.

Steve Andrews, owner of Edmonds Garage, has been working with Wiltshire Councillor Allison Bucknell to bring about the redevelopment to provide the village with many of the facilities that were asked for as part of the recent Community Planning process.

Planning permission has not yet been granted for the development but it is hoped that this will be finalised in the next few weeks.

Coun Bucknell said: “It’s been on the horizon for quite a long time, it was always part of the planning application for Edmonds Garage that a post office would be part of it.

“I cannot see any down sides. I was really delighted when I saw the consultation had started. It’s going to have the benefit of being part of the large shop and pharmacy complex.

“There was a lot of concern when the post office went, then the Edmonds Garage became vacant so I popped in and approached the garage owner if he would considered doing something different and he’s been absolutely brilliant.

“It’s only just up the road from where it was before, the benefits of that is, where it’s being proposed is going to be on the junction of three roads and it’s within striking distance for Bradenstoke residents."

The new branch, which would be situated just 0.2 miles from the old one, would be open from 7am to 10pm, Monday to Saturday, and 8am to 8pm on Sundays.

The change is part of a major programme of modernisation taking place across the Post Office network, the largest in the history of Post Office Ltd.

The programme is underpinned by Government investment and will see up to 8,000 branches modernised and additional investment in over 3,000 community and outreach branches.