MORE than 50 worried residents spoke of their fears over the planned 231-home estate at Backbridge at a public meeting in Malmesbury, with one calling it an 'abomination'.

People raised their concerns about whether Malmesbury Primary School and Malmesbury School, which are both currently fully subscribed and have no additional capacity, could cope with so many new families.

Town councillor Sue Poole said: "In seven years time the children all will be moving up to the secondary school which is also full. They haven't thought this through."

Residents were also concerned about parking for parents doing the school run, which they believe has been overlooked, the pedestrian access from the development into Malmesbury town centre and whether some of the houses will be for shared ownership or social rent.

Councillors John Gundry, Roger Budgen and Bob Talon, who represent Malmesbury, St Paul Malmesbury Without and Brokenborough, introduced the planning application from Persimmon Homes Wessex at the Town Hall meeting and urged the residents to fight the proposal.

Cllr Gundry said: "The three men here tonight are part of the group that ordered the Malmesbury Neighbourhood Plan and it was this Neighbourhood Plan that called into being the idea of development on this site.

"Back in the middle of 2012, we were faced with the issue of where to locate the houses we were required to find sites for by Wiltshire Council. We are part of the solution."

Although the Neighbourhood Plan says the land should be used for 170 homes, Persimmon Homes Wessex submitted their controversial application for 231 in July. It also includes a provision of land for the potential expansion of Malmesbury Primary School.

Speaking after the meeting last Wednesday, Cllr Budgen added: "We are in a slightly difficult situation because of the issues surrounding the site. The connectivity, the bridge and the environmentally-friendly aspects are all things we support, we just want to understand why they need so many houses."

Comments on the development, which are open until August 18, can be made by visiting www.wiltshire.gov.uk/planninganddevelopment.htm and quoting 16/06401/FUL.