A councillor has criticised developers over plans for 61 houses on land which was previously agreed to be a country park.

Andrew Matthews, a councillor who represents Royal Wootton Bassett, has said new plans by Wainhomes are “almost a farce.”

He said: “If you look at it on a map you can see it’s strung out miles away from any of the amenities in the town, and the access is being built via new housing but it’s a narrow carriageway. From that perspective, it’s not suitable.

“It sits outside anything that is currently in the neighbourhood plan and there are so many inconsistencies in the application.”

Cllr Matthews said that Wainhomes cited Wiltshire’s lack of a five-year housing land supply as the reason for the application.

He added that the country park should have been delivered before the election period.

“They’ve kinda delivered it but it’s poor and people are frustrated,” he continued.

“It’s frustrating because they’re reneging on something they should have delivered. It’s almost a farce that it is still going on.”

The councillor added that as confident as people are that it will be rejected again on technical grounds – that if it was to be appealed, the housing land supply would rule in favour of the developer.

The environmental officers at the council objected to the original plans last year as they said the land was not suitable for housing of that magnitude.

Despite concerns over the country park aspect of the plans, it was noted in the development statement that a previous precedent for this has already been set.

The precedent was set following a planning appeal in May 2011, where, at appeal, permission was granted for 50 houses on part of a committed country park.

The developers added that although there will be the loss of some space, the “overall integrity” of the country park would remain.

Developers, Wainhomes have been contacted for comment on the plans.