MELKSHAM Town councillors are up in arms after supposed dithering by Wiltshire Council over the development of the new campus project.

Plans for the campus were approved by the Melksham Area Board last February but town councillors say they have received very little information subsequently leaving them frustrated.

Building on the Health and Wellbeing Centre (campus) is meant to begin when the football and rugby club development at Woolmore Farm is completed this summer but councillors have expressed their doubts after being left in the dark for almost two months.

Councillor Jon Hubbard said: “A tough message needs to be sent to Wiltshire Council and a big reform needs to be made in their behaviour.

“It may not be possible to work with them in the future as it appears that they are doing what is best for them rather than for Melksham to fit some office model.

“We have been left in some sort of limbo. What is clear is that things have happened but for whatever reason we have not found out about it.”

The campus will include facilities such as a swimming pool, St Damian’s Surgery, a library, sports hall and studio but original plans to incorporate an indoor bowls area were scrapped due to Wiltshire Council budget constraints.

Bruce Sanders said: “There is a real frustration with the speed of the camps development. We are always wondering when they are going to make a decision on this.

“The idea was once the football and rugby club move is finished there will be the big drive to start on the campus site.

“In reality the Wiltshire Council is nowhere near ready to start. It is interesting to hear that they are going to build in the summer when they have not even laid out everything that will be going into the campus.”

A Wiltshire Council spokesperson said: “The £23m that will be spent on the health and wellbeing centre in Melksham will be the biggest investment in the local area for generations.

“We know local people are keen to see the provision of the new centre and we have been open and transparent in providing updates on what is happening and the significant progress that we have made over the last few months.

“The services to be housed in the new centre have been agreed and we are continuing to progress working with Melksham Town Council and other partners regarding occupancy and involvement in this major project so that the design can be finalised.”