HEAVILY-CRITICISED plans to build a new luxury caravan park in Highworth have been withdrawn.

The proposals for up to 40 luxury lodges to be built on land off Pentylands Lane, currently used for horse-riding, did not go down well when councillors discussed them at a planning meeting earlier this year.

Despite claims from a representative of the caravan park company that it could bring up to £1m pounds per year of extra revenue to the town, Highworth councillors recommended refusing the application after agreeing with the strong objections of highways and footpath, officers, and requesting more detailed assessments of the development's impact.

The town's planning committee learned at a meeting on Tuesday about the withdrawal.

The plans originally envisioned up to 80 lodges, referred to as caravans in the withdrawn application, to be built, but this number was halved to reduce the project’s impact following advice from Swindon Borough Council.