DETAILS of a "secret" meeting between Malmesbury town councillors and housing developers have been released.

The council came in for fierce criticism when it emerged that they were holding private talks with White Lion Land, who want to build 77 homes on a site off Park Road.

Minutes of the session involving a delegation from the planning committee - chairman Ray Sanderson, Charles Vernon, Bill Blake and Andrew Carnegie - were not available at the last planning meeting on February 23 when members came under fire from residents.

But notes of the private discussions on February 9 have now been made public by the council.

As well as revealing that councillors planned to meet another developer for a similar discussion, the minutes show White Lion changed their proposal after consultations with residents last year.

The firm’s position was that they were "committed to listening to the outcome of public consultation and have not sought to take all 200 houses stated in the plan, but rather have considered a reasonable scheme, aimed at providing choice.

Among the changes are buffer zones between the old and new housing. There is also the possibility of a community building on the western side.

According to the document, associate director Edward Ledwidge "explained that there had been resistance from the local community last summer with the main concerns being against development in general because of the potential impact upon the town.

"Although elements of the community were accepting that some development would happen they were anxious to learn what improvements would be made to the infrastructure of the town to lessen any impact."

In the meeting he confirmed the site was the only one they were involved with, but the situation could change if other sites emerged.

The councillors told the developers they would not be able to comment on the scheme until a planning application was lodged and were advised that the only development allowed outside the town’s framework boundary currently was barn conversions.

Cllr Vernon pointed out the concerns that existing infrastructure in Malmesbury was already at full stretch and the fact that the new primary school was at capacity Said the notes: "He explained that a survey recently undertaken by the Civic Trust revealed that 40 per cent of the residents of the Filands development are "out commuting" and shopping habits indicate travel to Tetbury and not Malmesbury."

Cllr Blake told them he was sure the community would want the proposal to be deferred.