Page 6 - link magazine

6 The Link Magazine • December 2004
The Front Garden saga. Not over by a long chalk

'They think it's all over;' well they may yet be wrong because, despite the Government's view in August that a public enquiry into
development proposal is not necessary, there are still many unanswered questions, writes Terry King of the Front Garden Action Group.
Swindon Council, and even proceeded more We still believe that
more so the developers, try to give quickly than antici- the technical appraisal
the impression that the building of pated and that occu- Y of 1998, on which the
4,500 dwellings on Swindon's pre- pation rates have decision for the Front
cious Front Garden is a done deal, slowed. Only 1,950 Garden was based, was
and all that remains is to decide how of the 4,500 dwell- badly flawed and bi-
nice the development will look. ings on the Front ;j ased, and we are con-
At every so called 'consultation' Garden are sched- sidering a case to the
they have either failed to mention, uled for completion y"5 Local Government Om-
or have glossed over, the major by 2011, the remain- budsman.
stumbling blocks: noise, flooding, der (if ever) will not ,. We shall continue the
wildlife, health and traffic. be completed until - `' ° Front Garden fight in the
These problems will not just go 2021, well beyond Terry King, t . hope that eventually
away. The Environment Agency even the Local Plan battling to preserve common sense, logic
has recently conceded that areas 2016. the Front Garden and changing circum-
beyond the 100 year flood line are Are the Front Gar- from development - - stances will prevent this
a flood risk. Insurance companies den dwellings need- unpopular and ill con-
have confirmed that several houses ed at all? It is about time the coun- Castrol site; 850 in Okus Road and sidered development. When that
in the area already pay higher pre- cil admitted that there are doubts about 500 elsewhere in the area. A happens, we have plans ready to
miums, and that any more built on about them and for other greenfield total of over 8,500 dwellings. Im- see farmland retained but the rest
the Front Garden will certainly developments, and gave the pub- agine the effect of about 8,000 ex- of the Front Garden become a ma-
suffer also. lic all the up-to-date facts about tra vehicles trying to negotiate jor country park to take the pres-
Thames Water has confirmed quantities and needs. roads in the Old Town area be- sure off Lydiard Park and Coate
that it will have difficulty provid- Traffic alone is a major issue in tween 7.30am and gam every day. Water - to include fitness trails,
ing water supplies and sewage dis- south Swindon. There seems to Despite this obvious effect on wildlife hides, picnic areas, canal
posal, that new facilities will be have been no effort so far by our the development plans no overall activities, footpaths and an envi-
required costing many millions planners to take an overall long traffic impact assessment has been ronmental activity site.
and taking years to produce. term view of how projected devel- carried out. Nor has there been an What do you want most, a
The European Wild Life Agency opment will affect Old Town and assessment on the unbelievable greenfield recreational site, or
is considering action if the many nearby roads. project to direct Front Garden traf- miles worth of brick, concrete and
protected species (among 110) on The figures are staggering: pro- ficbound for Swindon, westwards tarmac? Give us your views before
the Front Garden are endangered. jected developments are 4,500 via Junction 16, rather than rout- it is too late.
Now the council have admitted dwellings on the Front Garden; ing it towards the town via Great Terry King can be contacted on
that brown field development has 2,000 at Coate; 700 at the Burmah Western Way. 487154.

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