A NEW plan to preserve Westbury’s giant chimney and turn it into a tourist attraction has been revealed.

The 50-year-old chimney was set to be demolished later this year after Tarmac mothballed the former cement works. But a Bulgarian developer is in talks with owner Tarmac to buy the 122 metre-high structure and install a high speed lift and a staircase inside to take visitors up to a viewing platform to be installed near the top.

The platform will increase the height of the new observation tower to around 150 metres, making it the tallest building in the county.

The tower, which will be lit at night from top to bottom by huge neon light fittings, will be seen from up to ten miles away. It will give tourists unrivalled views across the escarpment of Salisbury Plain and Bratton Downs, as well as the famous Westbury White Horse.

The structure, which could be renamed the White Horse Tower, will continue to dominate the skyline.

The developer, Ado Forayspil, has even said in a briefing note that an additional platform above the viewing area could be adapted to hold a beacon that could be lit on special occasions. "We can recreate the iconic plume of smoke that has been seen in the skies above Westbury and Warminster for decades," he said.

"What a wonderful way to celebrate the county's heritage."

Tourism chiefs believe the plan would be a huge boost to visitor numbers to Wiltshire and it could marketed in a similar way to the London Eye and Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth.

"With the railway line bringing tourists direct from Paddington into Westbury and then fleets of coaches to take them to the site it will be an attractive day out," said Jean Wokerig, a spokesman for Wiltshire Tourism Forum.

WTF will be working with Mr Forayspil to promote the White Horse Tower once the sale has been agreed.

The developer added: "How much better to have a tower that is a White Horse instead of, how you say in your country, a white elephant?"

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