TROWBRIDGE Town Council is calling on members of the public to back its proposal for Wiltshire Council to include the new homes to be built in West Ashton as part of the county town.

The council is currently carrying out a Community Governance Review, which is a review of parish boundaries to reflect the identities and interests of the communities in that area.

Although the county council is consulting on several of the town council’s suggestions, Trowbridge is unhappy that the Ashton Park Urban Extension, which could include up to 2,500 homes, is not being put forward for consultation.

Leader of Trowbridge Town Council Bob Brice believes those living in the new development will look to Trowbridge for facilities such as shops and the cinema, so it should be considered in the review.

“There is to be a lot of housing built on the West Ashton side of Trowbridge and while new schools are part of the development, the people who will live in this area will look to Trowbridge for their other facilities,” said Cllr Brice.

“Trowbridge Town Council has already bought land adjacent to Trowbridge Rugby Club on Devizes Road, Hilperton, where we would like to built new sports pitches, which are sadly lacking in the area.

“Whilst the town is self sufficient at the moment, when the population increases in the proposed urban development the Town Council may need to borrow several millions to provide the sort of facilities a County Town the size of Trowbridge needs.

“To do this we need those houses to be included inside the town boundary so that they contribute to any facilities the town provides. At the moment they will be in West Ashton and North Bradley, who I am sure will not want to borrow millions for such facilities.”

Wiltshire Council is currently consulting on the town council’s proposal to transfer a small number of properties from Wingfield to Trowbridge, as well as looking at proposals for an area of Wyke Road and the Hilperton Road and Paxcroft Mead area.

However, Trowbridge Town Council now wants the council to also include the Ashton Park Urban Extension to enable it to raise the funds to help improve facilities in the town.

Cllr Brice added: “The inclusion of these new houses into the town would enable Trowbridge Town Council to contribute to the long talked about campus, which now seems to have a funding gap of several millions, and also contribute to bus routes.

“Without these houses being moved into Trowbridge by the Community Governance Review, the town council will not have the necessary finances to carry any of these projects forward.

“This will benefit all those who want improved facilities in Trowbridge and help to keep the council tax down. Consultation meetings are being held and we need the population of Trowbridge to support us in telling Wiltshire Council that those houses should be in Trowbridge.”

A Wiltshire Council spokesman said: “Wiltshire Council is currently consulting on a Community Governance Review looking at a number of areas, including sites around Trowbridge.

“With larger schemes, public meetings are to be held. In all cases, the town or parish council and all members of Wiltshire Council representing an area that may be affected are directly consulted.

“It will be for Full Council to determine the outcome for each area in the light of the responses to the consultation. Council may decide that there should be further consultation on alternative proposals. Nothing has been formally ruled out at this stage

“A full report with the working party’s recommendations following the consultation will be presented to Full Council on 24 November.”

The first consultation meeting will take place on October 13 at County Hall between 6pm-9pm. For more information, visit: www.wiltshire.gov.uk/communitygovernancereviewsurvey2015