JUST as Wiltshire Scrapstore celebrated 20 years as a charity their landlord has put in planning request to level their industrial unit to build houses.

Landlords Griffin Estates plan to remove the existing mixture of industrial units at the former farm in Lacock and build ten new homes meaning the scrapstore would have to find a new home.

The parish council made no objections to the plans but planners have received several letters from the general public including this one from Sarha Bailey of Melksham: "This is a valuable resource to the community, as well as to individuals. It seems crazy to destroy a well established business that takes in things that would ordinarily be sent to landfill, but is then made available for the wide ranging arts and crafts community, for children, for the elderly, for those in need of some human contact where they get a chance to do something productive."

The National Trust has raised several concerns ranging from sewage, traffic movements and the nearness of Bewley Common with its wildlife.

Glynis Cosgrave assistant director of the store said: "This year we are celebrating our 20th birthday. The growth of our charity and the services we offer has been absolutely fantastic.

"We have spent 13 years at our existing beautiful site on the edge of Lacock.

"The space, parking and fantastic access to the building for children and excellent disability access for wheelchair users has made it an ideal location.

"Our landlord has kindly given us plenty of notice that he may wish to change the use of the site allowing us at least a year to find a new home.

"We are looking for something similar to our current building."

The staff held a Mad Hatter’s party to mark the two decades of providing a valuable resource for teachers, parents, craft makers, artists and the general public and hope to keep going for another 20 years but on a new site.