I read with interest David Levy’s letter (Gazette & Herald, January 22). Whilst I appreciate the concerns that The Range development brings, this should be balanced with an understanding of the history of the town and the reality of maintaining Chippenham’s viability and future.

The ‘perceived A350 Western boundary’ has already been breached by the following businesses: Premier Inn, Brewers Fayre, Burger King, Little Chef, Esso and the Fairways retirement complex. In addition Chippenham Golf and Rugby Club are also located outside this boundary as is Allington Farm and Garden Shop.

Each of these brings money to Chippenham’s economy but they are all outside the perceived boundary of the town and all create considerable traffic. Most of them could not be located in the town centre. The boundary was breached some time ago.

Looking further back, I suspect there is a clue in the name Bumpers Farm. Prior to the development of this and Cepen Park North and South, Hungerdown Lane once was the western boundary for the town. There was a time when Hardenhuish School and Monkton Park House were country houses surrounded by open parkland.

The reason that the A350 location has been chosen for The Range is because it is adjacent to the town, existing local infrastructure and in a location where employees who live in Chippenham can walk or cycle to work, but where lorries can access the M4 via a dual carriageway without entering Chippenham itself. The Wiltshire Core Strategy highlights the need to improve “self- containment” for Chippenham to help prevent it being a dormitory town where residents sleep but leave to go to work.

This site not only brings jobs to Chippenham it helps the future viability of the town, which has been under threat for so long.

We can no longer pretend that Chippenham is a cosy market town, it needs business to survive.

Help it to survive, please support the application.

PeterHabkirk, Royal Close, Chippenham.