ALLINGTON residents are up in arms about the possibility of development west of the A350, which would open up greenfield land there to developers like The Range.

Wiltshire Council previously stated that the A350 was a natural boundary for Chippenham. Alistair Cunningham, associate director for economic development and planning at Wiltshire Council, reiterated this at a public meeting in Chippenham in June.

But now the old strategic boundaries have been thrown into uncertainty after the core strategy planning inspector Andrew Seaman this month said: “I amend the specific reference to the A350 within my recommended modifications to ensure adequate flexibility in the plan.”

A Wiltshire Council spokesman said: “The council did not request this further amendment to the plan. The inspector has made this particular additional amendment to the text unilaterally and without prior knowledge of the council.”

Breaching this boundary would open up the possibility of development of greenfield land from Sainsbury’s to the golf club.

Howard Ham, chairman of Allington Action Group, said: “Wiltshire Council have made repeated public statements that the A350 is to be retained as the western boundary. Local people have been profoundly misled.”

The Range planners said a number of other sites were considered to be too small, with the possible exception of Showell Farm, where planning restrictions did not allow the development of a single large building.

Chippenham MP Duncan Hames said he had been contacted by many concerned constituents.