A BID to amend the Westinghouse development in Chippenham could see no sports facilities built before the new houses there are occupied.

Developer Linden Homes has submitted the amendment to Wiltshire Council. If approved it would mean a payment is made to Chippenham Rugby Club, who would then create a new cricket ground and pavilion, allowing it to build the homes on the Westinghouse site.

Planning approval was granted in March 2012 for 76 homes at Westinghouse – in Park Avenue – with a Section 106 agreement which would replace sports facilities including cricket and bowls on the site. A letter to Wiltshire Council from Linden Homes says that following the disbandment of the Westinghouse Cricket Club “there is no longer any justification for delaying the occupation of the housing development until the sports mitigation works have been completed”.

Chippenham Rugby Club secretary Phil Read said: “The new agreement is that they release the money into a holding account the day they get permission and we will have 12 months to get the pitch up and ready.

“It’s between £160,000 to £180,000 which will go on all the things in the contract including a cricket board, netting and some money for field lighting.

“We’re still in contact with the original cricket club . We’re talking to them and looking to regenerate that and they will be associated through our club.”

Sport England has objected to the amendment, saying that “the uncertainty of the replacement sports facilities would remain, and arguably even intensify as further time passes without the replacement sports facilities”.

Michael Sprules, chairman of Residents Against Development Affecting Recreation Land, said: “Chippenham needs to grow, there’s no getting away from that but it needs to grow in a balanced way, there has to be sport facilities for people.”

A decision is expected from Wiltshire Council on January 13.