Page 5 - link magazine

The Link Magazine • December 2003 5
Trapped in the Front Garden

Last month The Link featured latest proposals for the Southern Development Area/Front Garden, but Charmian Spickernell of the
Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE), asks, how will people from West Swindon and from Blagrove access the Front Garden
and the proposed railway station?
The application for You could ask for
the SDA safeguards this large green-
land for a station on field development
the south side of the to he called in on the
railway. However, grounds that with
there is no bridge or more than 5,000
tunnel proposed over houses still to be
the railway linking it built in the North-
with the north. From ern Development
West Swindon or and at least 2,000
Blagrove, motorists from previously de-
will have to go round veloped land, there
an improved M4 Junc- is at least a five year
tion 16, along Hay supply of housing.
Lane and back into the The need is to revi-
Front Garden by a tun- talise the town cen-
nel under the M4. tre first to build a
Two of the most im- firm basis for the fu-
portant issues for ur- luf e.
ban extensions are access and inte- easier to commute from the Front Trewhella, Swindon Borough You might also object to any de-
gration. Neither will be achieved Garden along the M4. Council, Premier House, Station cision being taken ahead of the
with the current plan. The 4,500 If the Southern Relief Road Road, Swindon SN1 1TZ, quoting public consultation on the Swin-
homes in the Front Garden will be ended in a tunnel or bridge over S.02.2000. don Local Plan 2011 and the draft
cut off from the rest of Swindon by the railway to Blagrove instead of Due to the immense public in- Structure Plan 2016 which lists the
the railway line and the Old Town in a tunnel under the M4, some of terest the council's planning com- Croft Road - Hay Lane link for the
escarpment. In peak hours the the integration and access prob- mittee has provisionally booked first time. It is not in the Structure
route to Wootton Bassett Road lems might be solved. So far the the Wyvern Theatre on that day to Ilan 2011.
along Redpost Drive will be for the idea has fallen on deaf ears. consider the SDA planning appli- There is also consultation on the
buses only. There will be a bottle- Until Saturday 24 January you cation. If it grants planning per- draft Structure Plan until 8 De-
neck at Croft Road. Despite the have the chance to write with ob- mission the decision will go to the cember. Forms are in the libraries
bus services, it may well be much jections to the proposals to Martin Secretary of State who will decide and at Premier House, Station
whether or not to call the propos- Road. Please have your say; letters
Broken promises and als in. and comment forms do count.
the planning system
Jean Saunders of Swindon Friends of the Earth expresses her frustra-
tion at how promises made only a few years ago about the protection Stretch your child's imagination
of Swindon's open spaces are being turned on their head in three directions at once
It is difficult to contain the anger I schools, shops and community fa-
feel when Swindon Borough Coun- cilities? Since when do college stu- Here's a way to spend weekends that
cil renege on its mealy-mouthed dents need to be out-of-town rather
promises about protecting land than in the centre where they can will have 4 to 16 year olds buzzing.
next to Coate Water nature reserve bring life to Swindon?
from the ravages of the bulldoz- So why should I be so upset Enrol them in your
ers. about the prospect of losing this
When planning permission for bit of countryside? Anyone who local Stagecoach
the Great Western hospital was has walked down Day House Lane theatre arts school
given, we were repeatedly assured will know why. Perhaps it is the where they can learn
that this was a one-off. The build- thought of the badger death toll;
ing was allowed as an exception to twelve died in the space of a few to act, sing & dance.
the planning rules. Yet we have weeks when the hospital develop-
known, for years, that developers ment destroyed their setts. The skills they learn
have been queuing up to build on Maybe I feel a kindred spirit for aren't just for the
the remaining land between Richard Jefferies who grew up at stage. They grow in confidence and self-esteem.
Commonhead roundabout and Coate over 150 years ago. He loved
Coate. We knew that the hospital to roam the fields that inspired his Stagecoach training is a training for life.
would just open the flood-gates. writing on wild life. In his autobi-
Now plans have been revealed ography he poured out the inten- There's no audition. Enthusiasm is all they need.
that land could be allocated at sity of his longing for abetter world Call Principal Sheryll
Coate for 1,800 houses, businesses, - we have let him down, big time. NEW TERM STARTS
hospital extensions and the uni- More than anything it is the for a prospectus on SATURDAY 17th JANUARY 2004
versity campus. knowledge that Coate Water is a 0800 389 7686
In its latest newsletter, in sup- national nature reserve and if I
port of the Coate scheme, Swin- cannot get this area protected then
don Council states that'a compre- I cannot criticise others far away
hensive scheme on this site pro- for destroying their rainforests. _ r STAGECOACH
vides opportunities for synergy Whatever; I won't get mad. I
within a contained area, which is will get even.
able to link well with the town To find out what you can do to
centre.' help, call Jean Saunders on 783040 http://www.stagecoach.co.u k
What rot! Where are the nearest or mail: [email protected]