TOWN councillors in Trowbridge have voted against plans to build more than 200 new homes between the White Horse Business Park and North Bradley.

At a town development committee meeting on Tuesday (Jan 28) they said they “cannot support” the draft masterplan for the site.

Councillors say it is contrary to the emerging Wiltshire Housing Sites Allocation Plan and the emerging North Bradley Neighbourhood Plan.

Between them, Linden Homes and Castle Wood Commercial Properties want to build more than 200 new homes on the green fields buffer zone between Trowbridge and North Bradley.

Trowbridge town clerk and chief executive Lance Allan said: “The town council has always opposed development of this site and has consistently asked Wiltshire Council to confirm which parts of the red line allocation are going to be developed to ensure that a buffer is retained between the town and the village.”

Councillors were concerned about access to the site off Little Common and the A363 Westbury Road.

They also want to protect local ecology, particularly for bats and the emerging Trowbridge Bat Migration Strategy.

Mr Allan said Wiltshire Council had persuaded North Bradley Parish Council to support development furthest away from the village but the developers had opted for the centre of the site, upsetting Trowbridge Town Council.

Trowbridge councillors say the proposed new houses should be located to the north and east of the site as required by the WHSAP.

Cllr Stewart Palmen said: “I like the layout proposed and the way there is green around it.”