Consultation on one of Chippenham’s most controversial ever planning applications comes to a close today.

Wiltshire Council said The Range’s application was one of the biggest in terms of responses they had ever seen, with close to 1,400 people sending in comments.

The council has received 1,077 objections, 123 support and 196 other comments on The Range’s plans for green fields west of the A350 opposite Cepen Park North.

Oliver Bertram of First Chippenham, which put in the plans, said: “We are receiving many emails on a daily basis from residents supporting the scheme.”

Some in the Say No to The Range camp say they fear people welcoming the development, who have had a strong social media presence, do not fully appreciate its scale.

Deansway resident Andrew Rait, 53, said: “It concerns me greatly that there are a great number of Chippenham residents who are offering their support for something that is not what they are expecting.”

The proposed distribution centre, which would serve the whole of the South, would measure 72,070 sq m. The size is comparable to the Morrisons Bridgwater distribution centre next to the M5, which was 71,303 sq m when it was built in 2011.

The whole Range site, including warehouse, shop and parking, would cover 186,000 sq m.

The target date for a decision by Wiltshire Council is March 6.