Wiltshire Council says every town will have to find room for more houses than they expected, under changes to the county Core Strategy revealed on Monday.

The strategy, which looks at development up to 2026, was thrown into disarray in December when the planning inspector overseeing it, Andrew Seaman, said the number of houses to be built should be increased by 5,000, to 42,000.

The council is proposing revised numbers for each town, amounting to an 11.7 per cent rise for Wiltshire as a whole.

In West Wiltshire, Trowbridge is earmarked to get the biggest number of new homes, up from 6,000 to 7,000.

The plan allows for strategic growth to the south east of the town at Ashton Park, which extends towards the A350 to the south and the railway line to the west.

An additional 950 homes will then be developed at the town once improved secondary school provision is in place toward the end of the plan period and there has been a further assessment of effects on protected bat species and their habitats to ensure they are properly safeguarded.

Consultation on the revised figures runs until May 27. Details are online at www.wiltshire.gov.uk/wiltshirecorestrategyexamination

Copies of the documents can be viewed at the main council offices in Trowbridge, Chippenham, Devizes and Salisbury.

Mr Seaman will consider points made during the public consultation before completing his report on the Core Strategy. It is expected to be ready for consideration by councillors by summer.

Toby Sturgis, the council’s cabinet member for spatial planning, said: “Our vision is to create stronger and more resilient communities and, by ensuring we have a robust development plan in place to manage growth – both in terms of housing and economic development – we can achieve this.

“We would like to thank everyone who has responded.

"Anyone interested in helping us achieve the balance between ensuring our communities grow in a sustainable way, while protecting this county’s unique identity, should look at the document and comment.

“We encourage people to get involved as it’s community engagement that continues to shape and inform this incredibly important strategy.”

The new allocation of houses in the revised Core Strategy is as follows:
In Trowbridge, the number of new homes to be built will go up from 6,000 to 7,000.

In Bradford on Avon, the number rises from 670 to 780. Land has been identified to the east of Bradford on Avon at Kingston Farm for strategic growth.

In the wider Bradford area the number will change from 160 to 185.

In Melksham the number of homes will be increased from 1,930 to 2,240 while in Warminster the figure will go from 1,650 to 1,920 and in Westbury from 1,290 to 1,500.