PLANS to transform a former school site that has lain empty for five years back into use as a sports, arts and community facility have been called into question.

A local consortium, which includes town councillors and members of Wilton Football Club, hopes to use the former Wilton Middle School site as a hub for sports, arts and other activities for local people.

But there are fears the plan could stall amid interest in the site from developers and the possibility it could be put to alternative uses.

Speaking at a meeting of the South West Wiltshire Area Board on December 9, Wilton councillor and football club chairman Peter Edge said the steering group is putting together a business plan but "the goalposts keep moving".

He said: "There is another party interested in taking over some of the site but now we know that after January we will be in a position to have a firm business plan. We seek the support of the area board to do that."

The football club started off last year with one team but now has four, which are all looking towards promotion, and has outgrown its current facilities.

"This plan is something that we think will tick all the boxes and the former district and county councils supported the idea," said cllr Edge.

Wilton Middle School was closed in 2004 and there have since been problems with vandalism and antisocial behaviour at the site ever since, angering people living nearby.

Tim Slater, Wiltshire Council's corporate estates manager, said that an on site 'caretaker' has now moved in, but stressed that she is there as a deterrent, not to tackle any problems directly.

He confirmed the council has no short term plans to bring the site, a third of which is owned by the Diocesan Education Board, back into educational use but said this could be a possibility in the medium or long term.

He said a range of options are being considered alongside ongoing negotiations with the consortium, including refurbishing part of the site as a training centre and offices, developing the north east area as a 60-bed care home, or selling part of the site for housing.

In all the options being considered part of the area would be retained for future use as a site for a new primary school.

He said a feasibility study into the various options is expected to be completed by the end of this month but cllr Edge said this date keeps being changed and called for plans to be moved on.

Originally the site was being marketed until the end of the year but that has been extended to next March.

Mr Slater said there should be an update at the end of next month, once the feasibility study has been completed and the results analysed.