The Royal Mail sorting office in Corsham has been put on the market as the operation prepares to move to Chippenham.

The building is being sold as the 20 workers from the site are to join their colleagues from Chippenham in a new building on The Wessex Business Centre, Bumpers Farm later this year.

The sale of the building is being handled by estate agents Atisreal.

Corsham Town Council chairman Allan Bosley said: "The town council is as concerned as all residents in Corsham, many of who worry that parcels that cannot be delivered may have to be collected from an inconvenient distance.

"It will encourage unnecessary traffic to and from Chippenham and the bus service does not make it any easier for those wishing, or compelled, to use public transport.

"The sorting office is within easy walking distance of the town council and a valued part of the postal service in Corsham.

"At a time when Corsham is growing in both residential and commercial terms and with consolidation of the MoD's presence at Basil Hill, as well as other local developments, the town council believes that the location of key services here is important to a coherent and integrated market town."

A spokesperson for Post Office Ltd said the move would mean better working conditions for staff.

However, it would not mean people would lose the service in Corsham altogether and arrangements would be made to provide a smaller local service for parcel deliveries.

The merger also means the 106 sorting office staff in Chippenham will move from their base in Station Hill.