CAMPAIGNERS hoping to shape the future of a north Wiltshire village packed last Wednesday’s Malmesbury Area Board meeting in a display of ‘anger’ over a proposed development.

More than 100 Crudwell villagers stood alongside the parish council’s Neighbourhood Plan steering group inside the village hall to protest the planned 40-home development at Ridgeway Farm, which they are calling disproportionate and unwarranted.

Sian Burke-Murphy, member of the steering group, said: “It was a strong village turnout, people queued out of the door.

“We asked Wiltshire Council to work with us together with the parish council while we deliver a community led Neighbourhood Plan, rather than impose an unrealistic number in an inappropriate site without any community engagement.”

Wiltshire Council is currently fast-tracking the first phase of plans to build 40 houses on the site at Ridgeway Farm, in addition to the 10 that are currently under construction, and there are fears that two further phases could lead to another 150 houses.

The group feels that their voice is being ignored by the council because the community is still in the early stages of forming a Neighbourhood Plan.

“We noted that there is a need for housing in Crudwell, we want somewhere for our children and grandchildren to live”, continued Sian.

“However 40 houses on Ridgeway Farm is disproportionate, unnecessary and unwarranted and does not address any of the previous objection from the 2014 aplication.

“We believe there are better sites in Crudwell.

“We will ask Wiltshire Council to withdraw Ridgeway Farm from the site allocations plan to allow the parish council time and space to develop a plan that considers the wider needs of the community.

While the area board said they were not empowered to address the steering groups concerns and wished them well in their endeavours, Sian said she was happy the whole village achieved their main ambition of demonstrating to Wiltshire Council their displeasure over the Ridgeway Farm plan.