A residents' group says it hopes “common sense” will prevail over housing plans when the findings of an independent examination of Wiltshire Coun-cil’s Core Strategy are published.

The East Boreham Residents Action Group (EBRAG) was formed to fight proposals for a 320-homes development at Home Farm, unveiled by Hallam Land Management last year, which went against the council’s new homes development strategy.

Group members attended an examination of the core strategy – looking at the soundness of the formulated plan for Warminster – on July 11, when a Government inspector listened to the case of developers.

During the hearing, the planning inspector acknowledged the written representation submitted by EBRAG and apologised for the process, which did not allow group members to address the hearing directly.

Group chairman Nick Parker said: “We hope that common sense will prevail and only one area will be developed in a sustainable way, to meet the forecast needs of Warminster to 2026, rather than destroy two further sites, including Home Farm.

“Everyone has done everything they can now, so it just comes down to the planning inspector, but I think Wiltshire Council put up a robust defence of the core strategy.

“The last thing we want is developments of purely housing and that is one of the reasons Home Farm was left out of the core strategy, as there is no possibility of employment.

“I think some of the arguments put forward by developers for land outside the core strategy didn’t stand up to detailed scrutiny and, hopefully, the inspector will see that.”