A THIRD council has voted to object to plans to build another 123 homes on land at Quakers Walk, Devizes.

Roundway Parish Council has added its voice to the protests already put forward by Devizes Town Council and Bishops Cannings Parish Council against the scheme close to an ancient bridleway on the outskirts of the town.

Parish council chairman Chris Callow said the council had sent a letter of objection outlining six major areas of concern ranging from traffic congestion to endangering wildlife.

Coun Callow said: "We feel very strongly that this development should not go ahead. We do not believe there is any need for these homes to be built on this site as the Devizes Devizes Area Neighbourhood Plan has identified sufficient alternative sites to meet the area's housing growth targets."

He said the council was also worried that the traffic survey carried used by agents Smith's Gore significantly under estimated the number of additional vehicle movements that would be generated.

He said: "This is based on our experience of other similar developments in the vicinity." The council fears that existing traffic problems in London Road will be increased by the new proposed new development.

Other worries included not enough parking provision for the smaller homes and the risk of both surface water flooding and foul water drainage problems.

Roundway, like Devizes Town Council, was particularly worried about the affect on rare lesser horseshoe bat colonies that have been identified on the site.

In a letter to Wiltshire Council parish councillors pointed out that a previous planning application for a care village on the site put forward by land owners the Merchant Venturers was only granted because special need was shown. The letter says : "The existing planning consent for the site, for a care village, was granted in the face of concerted local objection, on the grounds of demonstrated need for the facilities provided which was considered sufficient to override the impact and harm caused by the development and identified in those objections. No such argument of overriding need exists in relation to the current proposals."

A total of 24 other objections and comments have been submitted to the council by residents, Devizes Rugby Club and the Trust for Devizes.