TRAFFIC issues in Warminster will be increased if housing developments for Warminster are given the green light, say concerned residents groups.

Pressure will be put on small roads leading from town to the busy A36 if up to 400 homes are built in three areas around the town by 2026.

Proposed developments are Land East of Dene, known as Home Farm, Bore Hill farm and Boreham Road.

Busy central town routes and narrow roads leading to main highways have been highlighted as potential bottle neck zones if more traffic was created by new homeowners.

Speaking as part of the East Boreham Residents Action Group, Mike Perry said: “ East of Dene land known will see 200 extra cars on roads going to town. It is a major topic in the Warminster Neighbourhood Plan and I believe cross town traffic should be avoided in all circumstances.

“Traffic plans carried out don’t address feeder roads to the A36. To the west they are very narrow and to the East they are also narrow. The majority of employment areas are to the west of Warminster and any cross town traffic will go through town into western roads which are extremely narrow. This could cause a major impact from these developments on cross town traffic in Warminster.”

Wiltshire Council said increases in traffic would not be significant.

A Wiltshire Council sustainable transport officer said: “We would not see a significant degree of impact on the local network. If you take the East of Dene site that’s coming out Salisbury Road you have perfectly adequate road and capacity to take development. It is proposed the amount of traffic going on to minor roads is quite low.”

An investigation into future development of Warminster is being discussed as part of a three week long investigation into the Wiltshire Council Housing Allocation Site Plan by Secretary of State inspector Steven Lee in Civic Centre, Trowbridge.