TENSIONS ran high last night as councillors gave the go-ahead to 14 retirement homes in Chippenham.

The plans to build the facilities for people aged 55 and over on land at Woodside and The Gardens, in Hardenhuish Lane were approved by North Wiltshire District Council's Development Control Committee.

People living in neighbouring Ridings Mead turned out for the meeting to speak out against the plans, which they said would invade their privacy and cause traffic chaos.

John Stubbs, 74 and his wife Vivien, 71 live in a bungalow in Ridings Mead.

They were horrified when councillors approved the plans, submitted by Archstone Lifestyle Homes.

Mrs Stubbs said: "We moved there six years ago thinking we had a nice retirement bungalow and now we will be overlooked by these buildings. Why couldn't these retirement homes be bungalows?"

Peter Humphrey, who also lives in Ridings Mead, spoke at the meeting and addressed the committee.

He said people living in the area would be overlooked by the new homes and they also feared for the safety of children because of the possibility of increased traffic.

He said Archstone claimed to have taken parking into consideration but he and other residents were sure that people living in the retirement homes would have more than one car and would also have people visiting them often.

He explained that residents feared people would use the Ridings Mead area to leave their cars. He said: "This all comes down to corporate greed."

Cllr Jules Whincup, who represents the Monkton Park ward, spoke at the meeting on behalf of the residents.

She pleaded with committee members to find planning grounds to refuse the application.

She said: "Hardenhuish Lane is notorious for road safety and we have been desperate to get the speed limit on the road lowered for some time."

However, the application for the homes was given approval and angry residents from Ridings Mead left the meeting unhappy with the outcome.