RESIDENTS of Elms Cross Drive in Bradford on Avon attended a planning meeting this week to protest about plans to build five houses on land behind their homes.

The application, by Oakfield Farm Products Ltd, proposes five detached houses with garages and a cul de sac be built on land off Elms Cross Drive.

But residents voiced their concerns that the stability of the land where there are understood to be a series of caves, meant it could not possibly support the houses, and they could not see how access would be gained to the cul de sac without losing space in Elms Cross Drive.

The land behind Elms Cross Drive was declared unstable over 30 years ago.

Resident Sheila Lemon said: "I do not see how it can now suddenly be safe enough to build houses on."

Councillors on the town council planning committee recommended the plans be refused by West Wiltshire District Council because of problems of subsidence, access and drainage at the site before they could consider any outline planning applications for development there.