PLANS for three new industrial buildings near Cricklade are going ahead.

They will be built at Chelworth Industrial Estate and be rented by up to 11 different occupiers.

Three buildings on the site will be demolished to make way for the new ones.

The proposal was approved by Wiltshire Council on February 1.

This application has caused some controversy, with worries about increasing traffic through Cricklade.

One of the objections to the application, made on Wiltshire Council’s planning website says: “The site plan does not conform to Cricklade Neighbourhood Plan 2026 (2018, p34) and potential for further increased HGV traffic should be carefully considered.”

Another says: “Whilst I am in support of bringing new business and work opportunity into the community, I echo the concerns of Cricklade Council in that Cricklade High Street – where all of the traffic will need to pass through will not be able to cope with the increase in large vehicles.

“Although it states that they doubt there will be an seizable impact in increase in traffic- designing “light” industrial units that incorporate large truck openings in their very design clearly shows that the new building design is encouraging this.

“If the units are no long office use but warehouse use- the vehicular access will change from cars to lorries.

“The road repairs to the Braydon Lane itself as well as the immediate access roads are going to need to be increased to properly manage the increase in traffic.”

Cricklade town council also said they: “Object on the grounds that the updated documentation provides no comfort regarding the additional level of HGV traffic that will be generated by the development.”

However, Wiltshire Council’s highway’s department said: “Recognising the comment from the Cricklade Town Council that they wish no more HGVs to operate through the town, it is hard to provide a highway objection to the proposal based on an unknown number of future HGV movements through the proposal site.

“The local highway network is adequate for the operation of such traffic through and around Cricklade.

“I can raise no highway objection at this point.”

There are to be 20 new car parking spaces and a large concrete area to the northwest of the site will also be used for parking.