In March, there will be a Public Inquiry to decide the fate of the "land adjacent to Hackett Place", which is currently designated as a site for a potential medical centre.

The developers who own the site have applied twice to the local council to have the designation lifted so that they can build a pub on the site, and have been twice denied.  They have now appealed and the matter will go before a Public Inspector, who will hear all the evidence and make a final judgement.

Meanwhile, the Wiltshire Council western area planning committee has met to consider a confidential report on the matter and have decided not to defend the appeal.  It therefore seems likely that the developer will be allowed to build the pub, but the Public Inquiry will still go ahead, so that members of the public have the chance to offer evidence.

There is presently a specialist developer interested in building a medical centre at Hackett Place.  The negotiations involve several parties and many considerations, but the visible support of the local community would be a crucial factor.  If the Planning Inspector can be convinced of public support for a medical centre, an alternative solution might still be found.

This is a key issue for Paxcroft Mead.  The opinion of the forum committee is that the interests of the community would best be served if the potential for a medical centre was preserved.  Wiltshire council has gone on record that Trowbridge needs another GP surgery and our local councillors have fought hard to maintain the designation on Paxcroft Mead.

Whatever individual committee members feel, however, we are pledged to represent the views of local residents and we want to know what YOU think.  We have set up an electronic poll on the Forum website and we urge you to follow the links to register your vote.  Only votes from registered forum members will be counted.  Registration costs nothing and is quickly achieved on line. Join the forum today and make your opinion count.

Update on 23/03/2010 - The poll is now closed but you can click here to see the results.