Anger at plan for homes

From the archive, first published Friday 14th Oct 2005.

PLANS to build 52 houses on business land on the outskirts of a north Wiltshire town have been condemned by town councillors.

As reported in the Chippenham News last week Joe Price, owner of the Precision Cut Rubber site on Corsham's Leafield Industrial Estate, wants to build 52 houses, 30 office buildings and 18 factories on the land. Councillors strongly objected to the plan at a Corsham Town Council meeting on Wednesday night.

Cllr Andrew Korsak said: "If this did go ahead it would mean a loss of employment land for Corsham.

"With the increasing number of houses in Corsham we need all the employment land we can get."

He thinks industrial land should be protected rather than replaced with housing.

Council chairman Cllr Jock Fraser said: "The proposal of another 50 dwellings will mean more pressure on doctors, schools and police.

"We wanted more employment land in this area and this is going to reduce it."

Cllr Jeanne Doohan said: "There are already so many houses for sale in Neston at the moment."

Cllr Peter Davies said: "It's entirely outside the area of permitted development. It's not within the residential boundaries of Corsham neither is it within the residential boundaries of Neston."

Mr Price's agent Nigel Clark said the development would not decrease the amount of employment space but would be more efficient with the use of land.

He confirmed the development would not threaten the future of troubled car parts firm Precision Cut Rubber, which has axed scores of jobs over the past two years in light of international competition and an ailing car trade.

He said the firm had been undecided about its future but had opted to renew its lease and would still be able to operate from the site.

Avon Group Manufacturers, which owns PCR, has declined to comment about the future of the factory.

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