GAZETTE & HERALD: The fate of Goldiggers still hangs in the balance as district councillors decided to postpone yet again a decision to demolish the former cinema and nightclub.

Members variously branded the planned replacement building ugly and ghastly, and questions were raised about the standards of an archaeological survey on this historically important site.

Protesters turned out in force to lobby members of North Wiltshire District Council to retain the art deco building in Timber Street, Chippenham, but the decision was put off to allow time for further consideration of new designs.

Developers Churchill Retirement Living want to tear down the building, owned by North Wiltshire District Council, and replace it with retirement flats with shops at ground level.

The plans were put off at a meeting of the development control committee a month ago because planning officers wanted further negotiations about the design of the new building on this key site.

And on Wednesday last week members decided new information, presented just minutes before the meeting began, needed longer and deeper consideration and postponed the application for a further three weeks.

Following the meeting campaigners from lobby group POGG Preservation of Goldiggers Gaumont were relieved the building had another stay of execution.

Cinema historian David Reeves said after the meeting: "Each time the application is held up it is another little ray of hope, a bit like someone on Death Row having a stay of execution.

"However, I am afraid that finally the building will be demolished."

POGG member Paul Hargreaves addressed the development control committee and urged members to refuse the application and retain the building for leisure use.

Afterwards he said: "The chairman kept saying the issues I brought up were not planning matters.

"The executive has decided to sell the building and all the committee could consider is whether this is a good planning application. But a lot of the councillors also spoke against it and the plans do look awful."

He said some 16 members of the public turned out to protest against the planning application and pledged to continue the battle to save the building.

Committee members expressed grave concerns about the appearance of the proposed new building.

Coun Toby Sturgis said: "Very simply, we have on the picture what I can only describe as atrocious."