PLANS to build flats in a village near Salisbury split the committee at Wiltshire Council’s southern area planning meeting on Thursday.

The committee voted five in favour and four against an application to demolish a disused industrial unit and build a two-storey block of nine apartments – three two-bedroom, three one-bedroom and three studio flats – behind a row of takeaways in Morgans Vale Road, Redlynch.

The council received objections from the parish council due to the scale of the development and environmental and highways issues.

Residents also raised concerns about parking, noise and over-development of the site.

Applicant Guy Anderson said developments like this is needed in order to make sure young people who want to remain in the village have somewhere to live.

Cllr Ian West raised concerns about parking and cllr Ian McLennan said it could be developed as employment land rather than changing it to residential.

But cllr Chris Devine said: “We do need this sort of accommodation, villages are not just for having our quota of social housing and big houses. This brings a more eclectic mix, which is nice to see.”

Cllr Jose Green added that it was an appropriate use of a brownfield site and not supporting it would mean not supporting local people who are desperate to remain in a rural setting.