ROAD works that will last until Christmas have begun outside the proposed 35 acre site of the Hawke Ridge Business Park.

Outline planning permission to turn the farmland at Mill Lane into a business park was approved by Wiltshire Council last year, despite strong objections by residents.

A roundabout will now be built on Hawkeridge Road, with traffic lights expected to be put in place during December while work is completed.

Businesses at the West Wilts Trading Estate, opposite the proposed site, have mixed responses to the road works, which could potentially have a direct effect on them.

Doug Harvey, owner of Harvey’s Auto-tech Cambelt Specialists, said: “There might be a loss of business from the Trowbridge area and it’s quite a busy road so I think the road works will cause problems.”

Jack Dowland, administrator at Halo, said: “I think it’s a good idea putting a roundabout down there as when you’re leaving at 5pm there is just so much traffic.

“The road works are going to slow traffic down a bit but it’s like anything when you do road works, you can’t avoid it.”

The proposed Hawke Ridge Business Park, put forward by Bath-based developer HPH Development, would consist of a mix of industrial, business, storage and distribution uses and could create as many as 1,400 jobs as well generate up to £32 million a year for the local economy.

A spokesperson for HPH Development said: “The contractors are working to an agreed management plan with Wiltshire Council and will aim to keep disruption to a minimum at all times.

“There will be temporary traffic lights at times to ensure the safety of road users and contractors.

“Due to the positioning of the business park it is necessary to carry out highway improvements to ensure the safety of all road users.

“All works to be carried out have been advised and approved by the Highways Department at Wiltshire Council.”

Councillor Jerry Wickham said: "I think it’s inevitable there will be problems while the road works take place knowing how busy that road gets.

“When the roundabout is done it should hopefully make things considerably better, especially for getting in and out of the West Wilt Trading Estate.”

Further details about the plans will be made available in the coming weeks with further information available at http://www.hawke-ridge.com/