Page 5 - link magazine

The Link Magazine • January 2005 5
Coate development and Front Garden to be debated at public inquiry

Charmian Spickernell from the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England (CPRE) outlines the big issues to be discussed when the Inquiry
into the Swindon Local Plan to 2011 starts in January.
The stated aim in the Local Plan is tus which marks it out as an extra
'to meet Swindon Borough's de- special area for wildlife and na-
velopment needs while protect- ture conservation. No wonder it is
ing the best of the Borough's built Swindon's favourite place.
and natural environment.' Coate's future will be consid-
Only those who wrote in objec- ered towards the end of the In-
tions to certain policies and para- quiry, probably in March or April,
graphs in previous drafts of the to give time for the Inspector's
plans have the right to continue Report on the Examination in Pub-
their objections at the inquiry. lic (EIP) of the Structure Plan to
However, those who did not com- 2016 to be received, given the stra-
ment at earlier stages of the plan's tegic implications of building 1,800
drafting can ask those who did, more houses next to the proposed
such as CPRE and Friends of the university campus.
Earth, to represent them and they This will be before the Structure
can attend the inquiry. Plan to 2016 is finalised because
It has been reported that 68 per there is still another round of con-
cent of the people of Swindon are sultation on that before it is
opposed to the Croft Road to Hay adopted by Wiltshire County
Lane link road (the so-called south- The Swindon Gateway site next to Coate Water outlined in white Council and Swindon Borough
ern relief road parallel to the M4 Council.
through the Front Garden) and back into Swindon. instead of in the town centre, only So it is important to continue
have great concerns about traffic However, if the legal agreements appeared in the second draft of the with the battle to protect the area.
flows. Capacity will be exceeded for the Front Garden are signed Swindon Local Plan to 2011 - with- The cry to protect the best of Swin-
at Croft Road and despite objec- before the inquiry takes place, the out any prior consultation. don's environment and to renew
tions, the alternative of a link road objectors' right to go before the This took many people by sur- the town centre first before more
across the railway line to Great Local Plan Inspector will be pre- prise and has led to many more out of town development is get-
Western Way near Blagrove (op- empted -just as the Government is objections to the draft Local Plan ting stronger by the day.
posite Tooth ill Park) has not been saying that it wants more commu- since Coate has long been regarded For details, Charmian can be con-
explored. This means tremendous nity involvement. as a place of great beauty and tran- tacted at: [email protected]
pressure on Old Town and people Coate Water is also on a knife quillity. The area is surrounded by The Front Garden Action Group
living in the Front Garden having edge as the proposal to put the countryside with views out to can be contacted at 487154.
to drive to Junction 16 to come main part of the university there, Liddington Hill and has SSSI sta- www.savecoate.org.uk

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