About 80 people attended a meeting to voice concern about proposed housing developments near Birds Marsh in Chippenham.

Those meeting in Langley Burrell on Monday formed a residents’ association and a committee of 12 members will meet on Tuesday to produce a neighbourhood plan and research the impact of developments.

Robert Hitchins Ltd plan to submit an outline planning application to Wiltshire Council this month for 500 houses between Birds Marsh and the B4069 by Langley Burrell.

These would adjoin the 750 houses above Hill Corner Road that North Chippenham Consortium already have outline planning permission for.

Nick Cox, chairman of the newly formed Langley Burrell association, said: “We would encourage all villages around North Wiltshire and the folk of Chippenham to join the fight to save our countryside.”

Public consultation on Wiltshire Council’s Chippenham Site Allocations Plan is planned for November.

Mr Cox can be contacted at nicholas.cox@tiscali.co.uk.