PLANNERS at Kennet District Council are seeking an urgent meeting with Government officials to clarify housing policy.

Kennet's replacement Local Plan, approved 12 months ago, could be in doubt following the decision by planning inspector Chris Frost to allow up to 150 houses to be built on the former Kverneland agricultural machinery site off London Road, Devizes.

Mr Frost used new planning guidance issued by the Government to come to his decision last month.

Officials at Kennet are awaiting the outcome of the Spitalcroft public inquiry before deciding what to do about the Local Plan, which sets out where house building should be until 2011.

The Kverneland site was earmarked for industrial use in the Local Plan and Kennet opposed the plans for housing by Strategic Land Partnerships at the recent appeal, presided over by Mr Frost.

The former allotment land at Spitalcroft, also off London Road, is the subject of an appeal by Robert Hitchins Homes which wants permission to build 158 houses on it.

Mr Frost said as a result of his approving the Kverneland site for housing Kennet should review the decision to allocate land to the east of Quakers Walk for 230 houses and a new primary school.

Ted Howles, Kennet's planning services manager, told Kennet's regulatory committee on Thursday: "The Kverneland planning appeal decision is quite a significant decision.

"The decision was made following the latest Government guidance in the form of an amendment to planning policy guidance which says we should give favourable consideration for housing development on unoccupied employment sites.

"We have requested an urgent meeting with the Government through the South West office and the county education department."