A Wiltshire councillor will speak out tonight at a meeting over plans submitted to county to turn a pub into a supermarket.

Cllr Pete Hutton said he would be reflecting the views of locals who are largely against the plan to build an Aldi store on the site of the former Mill House pub at Methuen Park off Bath Road new Cepen Way West in Chippenham. He said the concerns were over saturating the town with supermarkets and the affect it would have on the town centre’s independent shops.

Residents have taken to social media pointing out that within a few yards of the site there is a Sainsbury’s and a M&S Foodhall with another Aldi off Foundry Lane.

Kathryn Crosweller the manager for Chippenham BID said: “Chippenham BID represents the businesses in the BID area, and we are asking our levy-paying businesses to submit any comments or views they have about the proposed second Aldi store in Chippenham.

“We will submit a response to the planning application that reflects the views of the existing businesses in Chippenham town centre.”

While Debbie Williams of the town's Chamber of Commerce said they were against the application as it would hit independent shops, take trade away from the town centre and cause congestion. She said access was an issue as the road was heavily congested with parked cars.

The firm behind the project disagreed. Ricky Humphreys, director of Create Real Estate, added: “Based on the initial responses to a neighbourhood survey there’s strong support from local people for a supermarket, with 71 per cent of respondents saying they back the proposal.”

The sale of the site has been arranged by James A Baker and bought by Create Real Estate, and have agreed to sell it to Aldi once planning is agreed.

Chippenham Town Council’s planning meeting is tonight (Thursday) at 7pm in the town hall.