Page 9 - link magazine
P. 9
The Link Magazine • December 2001 9
The next stage of Swindon's development
With the opening of the Northern Orbital Road/Thamesdown Drive extension by the Mayor of Swindon councillor David Cox on 22
November, the scene is set for the arrival of the first people at Priory Vale, a new development that is likely to set national standards in urban
development.
Although Priory Vale, to the proach in the way areas are devel- ing countryside. will be built less densely and will
north of Hayden Wick, Woodhall oped. According to Swindon Bor- An urban core area will have be arranged around open spaces,
Park and Taw Hill, will contain ough Council senior planner Mar- mostly terraced and three storey as in a village.
some 5,500 houses, only 390 acres tin Trewhella, Priory Vale is going buildings, typical of town living. The first homes will be ready for
of its 640 acres will be for residen- to look quite different to anything The commercial centre will be dif- occupation in the Spring. Major
tial use. Forty five acres have been to be found in Swindon. ferent to those found in West Swin- land holder Crest Nicholson has
allowed for the development of "Better Places to Live is a chal- don and Abbey Meads. Taking on already broken ground on site in
schools and sports pitches, and 16 lenge to be innovative in the way the appearance of small country an area called Braydon Mead. An
acres of meadowland is a site of roads are laid out and the type of towns such as Cricklade, shops, unusual feature will be a mill
special scientific interest (SSSI). architecture employed. Street offices and community buildings house, to be used initially as the
An impressive 82 acres will be scenes will be more interesting and such as the church will be inter- Crest's marketing suite which is
open space providing wildlife cor- there will be more landmark build- spersed with houses. due to open in the Spring.
ridors across the development. ings at key points to give a differ- A second area will be more for- Sixteenth century in appearance,
New government planning ent feel to the development." mal in its design, with larger homes complete with water wheel and
guidelines set out in the urban Priory Vale will have three dis- arranged in a symmetrical fashion approach over a bridge, the inte-
design document Better Places to tinct'character areas' to reflect the along long boulevards. rior will be contemporary. The sur-
Live calls for house builders and urban nature of the development The third area will have a semi- rounding streets will include four
local authorities to take a new ap- and also its closeness to surround- rural appearance, where houses show homes, typical of the planned
development.
Development area on show Also featured is a village square,
or centre, which will provide for
Some 120 people visited an exhibition organised by Swindon Council planners in late October which set everyday shopping needs. The
out the detailed plans for Middleclover, the area to the south of the Northern Orbital Road (NOR)/ design will promote a feeling of
Thamesdown Drive extension, which is part of the overall Priory Vale development.
community like that of a traditional
This area will have two thou- village. Ultimately, the mill house
sand of the 5,500 homes to be built will he converted into apartments.
across this last area of the North Other developers include
Swindon development. Wimpey, Westbury, Bryant
Traffic movement, provision of Taywood, McLeans, and locally
schools and community facilities based company J S Bloor.
were the issues most people raised. The Northern Orbital Road/
Mike Gregory of Cloverlands Thamesdown Drive extension pro-
was concerned that the NOR will vides access to all parts of the de-
not relieve traffic pressure in resi- velopment. The finished commu-
dential areas, given the road ac- nity is likely to be ten years in the
cess into Middleclover off West- making. During this time, devel-
field Way, next to Primrose Close. opers hope to give Priory Vale a
Kay Wheeler from Blunsdonwas true sense of place in Swindon.
unhappy that few facilities will be Paul Springgay, Priory Vale
found there and residents will have project manager believes the area
to travel to the northern education will become nationally recognised
campus, the district centre, Taw for the quality of design. "The com-
Hill or to other parts of Swindon. Council officers with Abbey Meads residents, from left Ashley Border, mitment shown by the North Swin-
David McGill from Osterley principal planning officer Vivienne O'Connell, landscape officer David don Development Company, and
Road was very concerned that Evans, transport development control officer Imelda Cuff, Tony and Janet Swindon Borough Council to Bet-
Hayden End Lane retains its rural Storrer, Tony Carter. Back, Jeff Key ter Places to Live will make Priory
character, a view echoed by Vale a landmark project for inno-
Haydon Wick parish council. "The ner at Swindon Council, said that ment before the overall structure vative urban design and commu-
lane is unusual and should not be the public had expressed a range plan is put to the council's plan- nity living and could be regarded
turned into another housing estate of important points which would ning committee. Detailed planning as a benchmark for the future de-
access road." be considered in detail by the de- applications for housing areas will sign of large urban expansion
Martin Trewhella, senior plan- velopers and the planning depart- be judged against this plan. projects."