Opposition is mounting from Pewsey parish councillors over plans to change a shop in the Market Place into a flat.

The shop, between the Pewsey Kebab and Pizza House, is owned by Headlands Trading, which put it up to let in September 2012. Since then only three businesses have viewed the property and all have said it was unsuitable for their needs.

This has prompted an attempt to convert the unit into a one bedroom self-contained flat. But the parish council says a flat is inappropriate.

Pewsey Parish Council planning committee chairman Peter Deck said: “We don’t want to see our shops turned into houses because if we lose our shops then people will have nowhere to buy things.

“It is a three-storey property and we didn’t oppose the second and third floor being turned into flats but a ground floor flat in between two food outlets isn’t appropriate. ”

The shop has been advertised at £6,500 ayear, which the parish council believe is too much.

Wiltshire councillor for Pewsey Jerry Kunkler said: “It has been a shop for many years but it’s been empty for the last 12 months or so.

“The parish council has quite strong feelings about it and I don’t feel comfortable with it, but the problem is it doesn’t meet certain criteria for refusal.

“The planning officer hasn’t made a decision yet but if it is approved then I will call it in and it will be taken to committee but the problem with that is if it is rejected then the applicant could take it to appeal and we could lose on appeal.”