RESIDENTS of Britford are staging a protest to stop Wiltshire Council from allowing up to 220 houses to be built on a field next to the village.

A coach full of 36 people will travel to Trowbridge on Wednesday, November 22, in an attempt to have a site removed from the Local Plan for Salisbury.

The group, organised by village councillor and flood warden Nat Cole, will present Wiltshire Council with a petition signed by more than 1,000 people objecting to the plan.

Labelling the plans "unsound", Mr Cole said: "We're convinced Wiltshire Council has got this wrong.

"We think there should be a clear separation between Britford, Harnham and Salisbury and we believe that field should be the separator."

If houses were built on the field, Britford residents would lose their view of Salisbury Cathedral and argue it would diminish the distinctive landscape setting of the village.

Salisbury Journal: Protestors want to keep this field for separation from the city.Protestors want to keep this field for separation from the city. (Image: Jane Hanbridge)

Hydrology is another point of objection as Mr Cole believed runoff from the new houses would be "quite immense" and cause more flooding in the village.

Britford has flooded twice this year, a statistic which is not uncommon, but Mr Cole said the weather has meant the village is "ahead of schedule" up to January 2024 in terms of rainfall.

Salisbury Journal: Flooding is common in the village.Flooding is common in the village. (Image: Newsquest)

Traffic congestion and a lack of infrastructure have been mentioned as further negatives to scrap plans to build on the field. 

Mr Cole also slammed the "restrictive" process of submitting an objection.

"It should be simplified. It should not take four solicitors to be able to explain to residents what wording should be used," he added.

While many protestors will be Britford residents, the group claims the demonstration is "not nimbyism".

Mr Cole said the idea to protest was born from a Nunton resident who decided those opposing the plans should be "a bit more radical".

The group hopes to meet with Cllr Richard Clewer, leader of Wiltshire Council, or one of his representatives during the protest.

The coach will be picking people up from Britford Farm Shop at 8.30am and Millstream in Salisbury at 8.45am.