CAMPAIGNERS fighting to save a village car park from closure have been given a boost by Westbury Town Council.

Members of the highways, planning and development committee backed a special report by the Westbury Leigh residents' car park action group which outlines the importance of keeping the 40 parking spaces.

Residents of the village were devastated to learn their only car park, which serves the community hall, Baptist church, Jehovah's Witness Kingdom Hall as well as local businesses and residents, could be closed to provide eight affordable homes.

The development would be part of the proposed 400 new homes for west Wiltshire under a Private Finance Initiative. West Wiltshire District Council has come up with a list of suitable sites, including the Westbury Leigh car park as well as Broad Street car park in Trowbridge and Hillside hostel in Warminster to be considered by the cabinet on April 5.

An application will then go before the government for a PFI grant. On Monday councillors at Westbury said they supported social housing in the area but agreed the car park was a vital village amenity in Westbury Leigh.

Many homes in the village do not have private parking and the car park is often filled to capacity in the evenings by residents and visitors to the pub, Chinese takeaway and churches. Adrian Bass, a member of the action group, said he was thrilled the town council had supported the village.

"We are chuffed and delighted with the backing of the council in giving us full and unanimous support and for backing our report. There is no alternative parking in Westbury Leigh and I am most concerned because I know what chaos it would cause to shut it," he said.

Group member Mike Adam said although no official plans had been submitted for the site it was vital to start the villagers' campaign early to show the strength of public feeling to the district council. "We are pre-empting any plans and are getting our complaint in first. "The car park was given to Westbury Leigh by the council about 35 years ago to relieve the traffic. Now the council has earmarked it for building on and we were up in arms about it so we got together and created this report. The people of the village have been right behind us."

At Monday's meeting Cllr John Clegg said while he supported the villagers he felt the move was premature and thought any plans for housing on the Westbury Leigh car park would fail due to economic issues.

There was applause from Westbury Leigh residents when a unanimous decision was made by councillors to pass on their concerns to the district council and endorse the action group's report.