Allow me to make my position clear over the proposed Range development and the proposals for new large housing estates in Wiltshire.

I would like to see The Range built at Junction 17 where there is available development land.

This makes total sense for the business, as people from along the M4 corridor can have access to it and workers from Chippenham and elsewhere in Wiltshire can easily reach it. There are also important reasons not to locate The Range close to Allington.

First amongst these is the issue of drainage. I am told that the drain that takes the Hardenhuish Brook under Chippenham to the River Avon is at, or near, capacity.

With climate change evidently resulting in more violent rainfall, the last thing we want to see is parts of Chippenham being flooded.

As the ground water level at the site is already high there is a danger that the ground tanks that are proposed would be likely to be filled by ground water and thus unable to take additional rainfall during a storm.

Other factors include: the additional traffic to the site which will make life worse for those already trying to negotiate the roads at rush hour; the possible destruction of Roman remains that lie under the proposed site; and the general abandonment of the green belt that makes life in and around this part of the world so pleasurable. These things are important, because quality of life is important.

On the proposed new housing from Chippenham, to Royal Wootton Bassett, to Purton, I have already made my position clear.

I would like to see micro affordable developments of not more than ten houses in every village in the county.

These would be targeted at local people, and allow first time buyers and renters to find a home nearby, allow the elderly to downsize and generally lead to more sustainable communities with more people using local services like the shop, the pub, the church and the bus service.

There are 500 villages in Wiltshire. If we must stick to targets for 5,000 new homes in the county, this measure would do it in a style that improves life for all.

Dr Brian Mathew, Prospective Liberal Democrat MP for North Wiltshire.