CHIPPENHAM Town Council last night objected to plans to build a 52,000 sq ft Asda superstore in Langley Park.

Councillors on the planning committee are very concerned the new store would bring traffic chaos to the area, specifically in Langley Road and Maud Heath's Causeway.

The developer behind the plans, Ashtenne Industrial Fund, wants to build the store on the old Westinghouse site on the outskirts of Chippenham.

It also plans to squeeze in 190 homes in patches of land around the area, some of it backing onto the railway line.

An Asda spokesman attended the meeting to address the concerns of the councillors but they didn't give the scheme their backing because of the traffic issue.

They are also concerned about town centre trade being negatively affected by the new store, which will sell everything from food and vegetables to electronic goods.

Councillors wanted reassurance that the store would not open for 24-hours a day because they felt this would completely kill off the town centre.

Asda has been asked to consider putting in a leisure facility such as a skate park on the site.

A town official said: "This development raises unacceptable environmental and traffic problems harming the character and amenity of the surrounding area."