Better planning for new council

An improved planning service is to be set up for the new Wiltshire Council to ensure planning applications are dealt with consistently across the county.

There will be four area planning committees based in Chippenham, Devizes, Salisbury and Trowbridge.

The committees will have a wider brief than just planning applications and will also consider the revision or designation of conservation areas.

The roles of parish and town councils will remain unchanged.

Toby Sturgis, of Wiltshire County Council, said the aim was to "build on the strengths of the existing district and county services".

Wiltshire's single authority is to be created on 1 April 2009.