COUNCILLORS and residents in Westbury have said again they will be disappointed to see houses built on the old Westbury hospital which closed in 2012, as they were hoping to retain the land for health services.

Cllr Mike Sutton, who has been campaigning for the last two years to have the land retained for health facilities, said: “I think the whole town will be disappointed if we don’t get health services on that land, as the health facilities we currently have are inadequate.

“However after looking at the plans, we were pleased with the nature of it as it is very environmentally friendly and in keeping with the look of the town.”

At a recent highways planning and development committee meeting, the town council supported the plans submitted by Box-based developers Backhouse for 56 houses on Orchard Road, on the condition that they put a boarder in place to stop cars parking on the grass, after voicing their concerns over the health facilities that are still needed.

The application will now go to Wiltshire Council, who are expected to make a decision in March.

Former chairman of the Westbury League of Friends, Erica Watson, said: “The plans do look lovely, however this doesn’t hide the fact that we need health facilities in the town.

“It is also a concern as to whether the town can cope with the extra 150 people these houses will bring, I don’t know if our roads, schools or shops can cope.”

Theo Backhouse, founder of Backhouse, said: “We are committed to creating an exceptional new residential area for Westbury.

“We are aware the hospital site means a lot to the local community and as part of our plans we will be preserving the foundation stones of the existing buildings to ensure the history of the site is remembered for generations to come.”