The Town Council has backed a local coach firm's decision to request a change in their planning application.

At last night's meeting of the Planning Advisory Committee councillors heard how Beeline coaches' expanding business has meant they have outgrown their current site in Bishopstrow Road.  They hope to move to new premises on the Furnax Lane Industrial Estate.

Beeline Director Mark Hayball told members of the Council,"We now have 40 coaches operating out of a village location with no space to expand on our present site.  We are surrounded on three sides by the River Wylye and on the other by the road through the village of Bishopstrow."

"We employ 30 full time and

25 part time staff and have contracts with the MOD and local authority

for schools. If we

relocate to a larger site we could grow by 25%,  which would not only

bring more employment to the town but also extra trade as, wherever

possible,  we buy locally - from tyres to paperclips. Anybody who has seen coaches leaving and returning to our current site

will know the problems.  The site we are hoping to move to has

easy access to the bypass and is far more environmentally suitable."

Originally plans were made to sell the Bishopstrow road site for business units but due to the recession Beeline has been advised this would not be commercially viable.  By selling the site for residential development a higher value could be achieved, enabling the company to develop on the new site.

However this would be contrary to existing planning policy as the site is out of the Town Development boundary.  Beeline asked the Council to support their request for a change in their planning application and this was unanimously approved.

After the meeting Mr Hayball said, "It is good to know that the Council will be supporting us in our plans to expand."