ALPACA farmer Phil Neal has been told his metal stripping business can stay.

North Wiltshire District Councillors have finally granted planning permission for him to use barns at the farm above Baskerville for light industry.

The controversial decision on April 26 prompted cries of dismay from objectors who claimed it would damage the rural character.

Barry Lingard, representing objectors said: "We are very supportive of the Alpaca and rare breeds farm. Our objection relates to the other activities.

"This is an important and sensitive site."

He said an inspector's report on a plan for an antiques business at the site in 1999 ruled it was harmful to the setting of Malmesbury and had a dangerous exit onto the 60mph bypass.

Mary Hill, from the Civic Trust and Malmesbury River Valleys Trust said: "Both organisations have serious reservations about the granting of light industrial use.

"If the precedent is set we could see in the future the whole of the site developed into a light industrial site.

"We do regret that this is a retrospective application. There seems to be a growing philosophy of do first and ask afterwards."

But Mark Jones, Mr Neal's agent told the committee: "This application is quite different from the previous one, which was dismissed on appeal."

He said: "This is an application for a change of use for existing utilitarian buildings."

He also pointed out that Mr Neal had tidied up the site considerably and had not torn out hedges.

Principal planning officer John Simmonds advised that access was improved. As a result county highways officers had withdrawn their original objections.

He said the visual impact was not likely to be much more than the already permitted agricultural use and current guidelines allowed for agricultural buildings to be used for light industry.

But Patrick Goldstone (Lib Dem, Malmesbury) was adamant it should be refused on the grounds of road safety.

He stated:"Regardless of whether highways support or oppose it the fact remains that this part of the Malmesbury bypass is where the traffic is at its fastest - 60mph is actually one of the slowest speeds.

"This is an accident - several accidents - waiting to happen."

He suggested conditions preventing traffic turning right out of the site as well as a traffic island to stop southbound vehicles going right.

But Mr Simmonds said it would require a traffic order and he would be surprised if highways agreed.

Ron MacGregor(Lib Dem, Chippenham Avon) said: "We should not be allowing any work to go on in the river valley unless it is agriculture."

But although Ian Henderson (Con, St Paul Malmesbury without)conceded there were fears that it was the thin end of the wedge he said: "I think it would be very hard for us to refuse permission on any reasonable grounds."

After the meeting Mr Neal and his agent were pleased at the decision, but did not want to comment.