Two developers hoping to build housing, shops and a post office in Minety may have to battle it out after the first of two plans were submitted this week.

The village has gone years without a shop and with just a half day a week post office service.

Now Anthony Kinch, director of Kinch Coaches, has submitted plans for 20 houses (10 of them affordable homes), a shop, post office, offices and infrastructure on Hornbury Hill Farm coachyard.

This comes after pre-planning proposals, which have not yet been submitted to Wiltshire Council, were published in The Gazette and Herald in November 2013 for a £1.5m development to sell The Vale of the White Horse Inn for housing to build a cricket pitch, clubhouse, pavilion, bed and breakfast facility, village shop and post office on the B4040.

Jamie Denham, owner of The Vale of the White Horse Inn, said the plans will compete directly.

He said: “Obviously I am disappointed because we should have got our application in first. It does present a problem because the village doesn’t need two shops and two post offices.”

He said a deal was agreed with landowner months ago but the paperwork was not complete. But he has no intention of changing his plans. He said: “We have had 400 people sign our petition in favour of the plans.”

The agent for the coachyard build, Phillip Duncan, of Corlyus Planning and Environmental Ltd, Cirencester, said consultations had been carried out and there was some interest in providing self-build plots.

Mr Kinch was born at Hornbury Hill Farm and started Kinch Coaches on the site in 1995.

He said: “I have had a lot of feedback from the villagers saying they would support my plans.

“I now feel that I would like to retire and enjoy the rest of my days with my wife and family.”