RESIDENTS in Brinkworth have voiced their concerns about road safety in the village, if a housing application is given the green light.

Buses, residents, visitors and parents on the school run, all currently use a busy layby due to the lack of parking in the village.

But the layby, deemed essential by residents, would be scrapped as part of the application.

Objectors to the plans say it provides a safe and convenient stopping point in the village, that it is the only such facility for eight miles and it is in constant use throughout the day.

The application made by the Diocese of Bristol would see four, five-bedroom executive houses built in Glebe Field behind the village hall and two affordable houses beside the hall.

Concerned residents feel that the removal of the layby would lead to people stopping and parking in the road, increasing the chance of an accident.

There have been more than 100 objections to the application from residents and Brinkworth Parish Council (BPC) has officially objected to the plans.

Currently, the village of about 100 residents has one car park, with eight spaces and one disabled space.

Butterfly Pre-school and the church has no car parking, with the only other parking in the village private.

The housing plans do include proposals for a car park of 23 spaces but BPC believes there is no allowance for disabled parking.

In a statement on its website BPC said: “The parish council considers that this offers no social benefit to the community and indeed the loss of the layby and houses in a prominent green field will be detrimental to the village.

“Butterflies Pre-School will be deprived of most of its safe outdoor space.

“The layby is essential to the centre of the village and the development does not meet the criteria of Wiltshire’s Core Strategy which demands that, in small villages, development should be restricted to infill to help meet the housing needs and improved the vitality of the community.

“Brinkworth Parish Council is unanimous in opposing this application.”

They have urged residents to add their comments to the consultation.