CAMPAIGNERS are hopeful the Westbury Hospital site can be saved for the town, after the town council agreed to hold a parish poll.

Sensible Thinking On Patients (STOP) held a demonstration in the town last Saturday, gathering more than 500 signatures calling for the land to be used for medical purposes in some capacity.

And at Westbury’s annual town meeting on Monday, it was agreed a parish poll would be held to ask residents whether homes should be built there without further research.

Plans to use the land for 72 homes were put forward in February by NHS Property Services, who took over the site in April 2013.

Erica Watson, leader of STOP, said: “We felt there was a really good turnout for both the demonstration and town meeting where about 40 STOP supporters attended.

“The town council were very supportive although they couldn’t answer some questions that we had, but they agreed to hold a parish poll which will consist of a yes or no question on the future of the site.

“We’re encouraged by the response from the mayor, Christine Mitchell, and are feeling more cautiously optimistic about being able to continue with our fight to retain the site.”

The site was deemed surplus to requirements by NHS commisioners and NHS Property Services is seeking to submit an outline planning application to Wiltshire Council this summer.

A spokesman said: “We recognise the former hospital site is important to people in Westbury and have worked proactively to ensure local people are aware of its future.

“We inherited this site from the former Primary Care Trust two years ago and our understanding is it was always clear that when the new White Horse Health Centre opened this site would be surplus to requirements."

“We have no remit to retain properties that are vacant and not needed by the NHS. Our role now is to secure best value for the taxpayer for this site.”

Roger Birnstingl, 83, was collecting signatures last weekend and said "very few" people thought the new houses were a priority.

The 83-year-old from Dilton Marsh said: “There were one or two people I spoke to who said ‘well we need to build houses’ but very few people took that view.”

People who I got signatures from were very supportive saying they had relatives who had been treated at the hospital.

“I think it went really well because it brought people together to raise their awareness and was about community engagement.

“I’m optimistic that the community is taking action and standing on their own two feet and I’m very proud.”

Councillor Gordon King was also at the demonstration and meeting and believes it was a step forward.

He said: “I’m due to have a meeting with NHS Property Services and Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) on May 11 and I’m going to make it very clear that the way in which they have handled the process has been poor."

A spokesman for Wiltshire’s CCG said: “While we understand and share the concerns from the protest group about the pressure being experienced across the whole NHS, Wiltshire CCG is not able to influence proposals regarding the site because we are not able to change the outcomes of government policy.”