THE Sangster family have submitted an amended plan to Wiltshire Council to build houses on land next to Rabley Wood View in Marlborough after their original proposal was rejected last August.

Guy and Ben Sangster originally applied to build 46 houses on 1.7 hectares of open space, known as the Roger’s Meadow amenity space, which belongs to Wiltshire Council.

In exchange the family offered 14 hectares of their nearby land as a Nature Park which would have included a kick-about space but this offer has been removed. The new proposal sees the amount of houses reduced to 39 so that the space allocated for a play area in the original plan can be increased to allow for a Multi Use Games Area.

The National Planning Policy Framework requires that if recreational space is to be built on, replacement land of the same quality and quantity needs to be provided.

To make up the remaining space the Sangster family have offered one hectare of what was to be the Nature Park.

Jayne Baker, of the Thorns who fronted the campaign against the application, said: “The applicants still want to attempt to make a play area in a water meadow.

“We have written to our two Wiltshire councillors Stewart Dobson and Nick Fogg and have asked if this application should be subject to an independent review.

"We believe that Wiltshire Planning officers are being put in an untenable position being asked to make a decision on an application which could bring millions into the Wiltshire Council budget.”

Coun Dobson will be calling the plan in to allow the application to be discussed by the Eastern Area Planning committee.

Richard Cosker, of RCC Town Planning Consultancy, who is acting as agent for the family, said: “A drainage expert has laid to rest any concerns about any long term drainage problems on the former water meadows with all the compensatory recreation space lying outside of the flood zones.”