MEMBERS of Sustainable Warminster launched a protest against a Warminster housing development wearing new tee-shirts.

The t-shirts were designed by group member Sarah Walters to publicise their opposition to the proposed development of 28 new homes on land next to Damask Way.

Group spokeswoman Harriet James said: "We received a £200 grant from the Friends of the Earth Climate Action Network.The t-shirts were designed to highlight our campaign against the Damask Way development and its impact on climate change.

"We are trying to protect biodiversity on the site and persuade Wiltshire Council that they should take better measures to protect biodiversity in the area."

They also unfurled their banner against the development near to Smallbrook Meadows, saying it is 'pointless construction' designed to inflict 'maximum destruction' on the environment and local wildlife.

Warminster Town Council’s planning advisory committee has also voted unanimously to object to the planning application, which has been called in by Wiltshire unitary councillor Tony Jackson.

Consultation expired on October 2 and Wiltshire Council is due to decide on the plans by Monday November 2.

Housing developer Backhouse (Warminster) Ltd wants to build the new homes on land east of Damask Way and east of Upper Marsh Road and north of Smallbrook Lane in Warminster.

Cllr Tony Nicklin, chairman of the planning advisory committee, said: “We are not confident that the new application fully satisfies the conditions of the outline approval, particularly in the biodiversity protection of the landscape and the protection of the emergency access to the existing Damask Way residents.

"We ask Wiltshire Council to ensure they have fully evaluated all the responses to the reserve matters and that they are acceptable to Wiltshire Council.

"We ask the Western Area Committee that they have all the evidence to hand and the responses from the officers who are skilled in these matters.”

“The town council has consistently, and on three occasions opposed, development that involves the extension of Damask Way.

"We are an advisory committee and as such have almost no statutory powers to prevent unwanted development other than to refer to our own neighbourhood plan. Sadly, this will not help with regard to Damask Way.”

Wiltshire Council has already granted outline planning permission for the development and the current application is about the exact form that development should take.

More information about the application can be found on the Wiltshire Council website by searching for planning application number 20/07214/REM.