VILLAGERS have won a battle to save their village shop and post office from closing.

People from Whiteparish turned out in force to support a planning application put before Wiltshire Council’s southern area planning committee on Thursday and persuaded councillors to go against the recommendation of their own officers.

Planning officers had recommended the application to demolish the existing building and build a new shop with flats above it, along with three starter homes to fund the plans, should be refused on conservation grounds.

However, the council received 392 letters in favour of the application and decided to support the views of villagers.

Cllr Richard Britton said: “This is not just a straightforward planning application. We’ve heard four voices raised on behalf of the village requesting us to be bold enough to stretch our minds beyond the rulebook.

“All of us have bemoaned the effect on our villages losing our shops and pubs and how depressing it is to see villages die and change their character because of it.

“Here we have an opportunity to do something about it and stop this happening in Whiteparish.”

A group of residents took over the running of the shop in June 2005 when the previous owner could not find anyone to take it on but said the need for major repairs could force them to close it down within three years if something isn’t done.

They have gained the full support of the parish council and the committee voted unanimously in favour of the application.

Residents’ spokesman Brian Cosstick said they were pleased the councillors were willing to trust them to do what they want to achieve.

“I’m really delighted that we can put something in place,” he said.

“We’re leaving a legacy for the village – there’s been a shop in place there for 100 years and we want to keep it there.”

They are now looking to get contracts in place to start the building work on the homes and plan to use local builders as much as possible. They are also setting up a charitable trust and asking everyone in the village to donate £5 so the whole village will own shares in the shop, making it a real community project.

“The idea is low cost ownership for the villagers and we can raise the capital for the development, it’s a good way of making sure everyone is involved,” said Mr Cosstick.