WESTBURY residents were left shocked last week after they felt a report looking into the disused hospital site belittled the town.

More than 100 people attended a public meeting last Wednesday which was organised by campaign group Sensible Thinking On Patients (STOP), allowing them to have their say after the site was deemed surplus to requirements in July 2013.

The healthcare advisory report, conducted by property management company JLL at the request of NHS Property Services, claimed “we are of the opinion that there is likely to be little demand for health care uses on the site”.

It suggested that Westbury is located near larger towns which provide many key services and that “average house prices in Westbury are significantly lower than the national average” which would “deter private extra care developers”.

The report also stated that “in our opinion the opening of the White Horse Health Centre has substantially enhanced the provision of NHS services in the town which makes it highly unlikely there would be a requirement for another health centre”.

Speaking at The Laverton last Wednesday, Erica Watson, chairman of STOP, said: “It’s a damning report which basically suggests that it’s not worth sending anyone to build anything here and that we’re not worth any extra health care.”

Councillor Gordon King added: “I think the report is too narrow, it’s absolutely insulting and it’s wrong.”

As well as the report, it was also discussed whether a trust could be set-up to manage 30 per cent of the housing allocation which would normally go towards affordable housing.

A proposal for 72 homes was put forward to the public at the start of the year by NHS Property Services with a planning application set to be submitted to Wiltshire Council by the end of the year.

Cllr King said: “Our expectation was that when the plans were formulated we would be involved but they [Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Group] just handed it over to their estate agents without asking the town what they wanted.”

Resident Eddie Bridges said: “The land is technically owned by the people in this room as it was given as a gift.

“The law of the land says that a gift to the town’s people cannot be disposed of unless through a referendum but they say the 1946 NHS Act over rides the law of the land as far as hospital sites are concerned.”

Councillor Mike Sutton said: “This town is certainly not lying down and we’re going to take this trust idea forward and the number of people here shows it.”

A spokesperson for NHS Property Services, said: “Commissioners have made clear they have no further use for the site and our agents advised there was no demand for use from the care sector.

“As a result of the local consultations we sought further independent advice which concluded the same.

“Therefore, the imminent planning application will be for residential use, which represents the best return for the NHS.”