MEMBERS of Devizes Future Market Place Group have continued meetings with the town council and Wiltshire Council to discuss possible solutions to the current stand-off over the future of parking in the Market Place.

The pressure group met Devizes Town Council on September 10, to continue the discussion over proposed future changes to the layout of the square, with some people suggesting the Market Place should be half parking and half a community space.

Other parties have suggested it should stay as it is, as paid parking, currently owned by Wiltshire Council.

Iain Wallis, who is a member of the pressure group, said: “Our members who met with Devizes Town Council last week were encouraged that the council has committed to extending the public consultation and to adding at least one option in the poll, which better reflects what the people of the town want to see in Market Place.

“We believe that the best way of doing this is to pause the current process and work with members of the public and Wiltshire Council to ensure that any ideas put forward for consultation match the needs of the town and are deliverable from the point of view of the town council.”

Devizes Town Council clerk, Simon Fisher, described the meeting as ‘very positive meeting’ which involved ‘some frank discussion’.

He said: “We have a better understanding of their desires and equally they have a better understanding of the constraints we are working within.”

A second ‘generally very positive’ meeting was held on Monday, with Cllr Bridget Wayman, the Wiltshire Council Cabinet member for Highways.

She said: “There is co-operation between Wiltshire Council, Devizes Town Council and the Devizes Future Market Place.

“The main topic of conversation was about usage and tariffs in all the car parks in Devizes and I will provide further information at some point.”