Page 8 - link magazine

8 swindonlink.com • April 2009
Swindon to keep growing westwards

Green fi elds in North Wilts between West Swindon and Purton are threatened with development of 3,000 homes which will result in traffi c
congestion, more fl ooding and considerable strain on education and social infrastructure.
In 2004, under old local Tadpole Farm site The supply of clean water will be a major
strategic planning rules Swindon & problem, as will be sewage disposal. The
Cricklade
the number was 1,000 Railway Tadpole Lane proposal will mean loss of green fi elds and
houses. Now, under the fl ooding upstream on the River Ray.”
government’s Regional Possible Oakhurst West Swindon councillor Keith Williams
Spatial Strategy (RSS) access? believes traffi c congestion will be enormous.
planning specifies that “These ideas will have a major impact on
this should be increased Swindon’s infrastructure. Traffi c congestion
to 3,000. River Ray in all directions is assured, fl ooding in West
And if you didn’t know and North Swindon is an issue and there will
much about this, it’s be- be huge strain on education provision.”
cause spatial strategic Road access will be a major problem to the
plans are developed at B4553 Pry Farm area and new roads from Oakhurst
a south west regional and off Thamesdown Drive could be a pos-
level and overall target Pry Farm Possible sibility.
numbers of dwellings are access? Taw Coun Nick Martin
handed down to local au- Swindon to Gloucester railway line Hill said, “you just can’t
thorities to work out where piggyback 3,000 more
to put them. And because homes onto West Swin-
the housing allocation is Fuel Moulden Hill don. We will be putting a
in North Wilts, publicity Purton dump Park Thamesdown Drive resolution to a full meet-
has taken place across the ing of Swindon Council
border, even though the on 23 April calling on the
plan is an urban extension government to stop these
to Swindon. River Ray proposals.”
The planners say 3,000 Robert Buckland,
houses can be built at Ridgeway prospective parliamen-
Moredon Bridge, next to Farm access? Moredon tary candidate for South
Possible
Sparcells, at Ridgeway Bridge site Swindon said the RSS
Farm, and Pry Farm, on process is undemocrat-
either side of the B4553 Peatmoor Sparcells ic. “There is a lack of
towards Cricklade, next to accountability in how
the underground strategic North Wilts planners have come up with alternative options such as spreading 3,000 homes housing numbers are
aviation fuel dump with a along the western edge of Swindon or allocating sites off Hook Street, close to Grange foistered on localities
pipeline running to RAF Park or fi lling the gap between West Swindon and Lydiard Millicent, along Stone Lane. A which has got to be recti-
Fairford. site close to M4 Junction 16 by Wootton Bassett could be a possibility. A full list of sites fi ed. The new economic
Wiltshire County Coun- and a link to the West of Swindon report is available at: www.swindonlink.com realities of the present
cillor Mollie Groom from day demand a rethink.”
Lydiard Millicent is appalled by allocation in the draft RSS. Com- North Swindon to keep growing as well
the proposals. “There has been munity representatives informed
no assessment for 3,000 houses to the inquiry that there was insuf- Land to the north of Oakhurst at Tadpole Farm, which is within Swindon
the west of Swindon prior to the fi cient infrastructure in the area. Council’s boundaries has been allocated for 2,000 homes as part of the
government’s requirement for 37,200 homes in Swindon by 2026.
The Link has reported the growth proposals since 2004, but North
Wilts planners announced their preferred options for growth at the Summer decision expected on Coate growth plan
end of February after the magazine went to print, setting a closing The Planning Inquiry into proposals to build 1,800 houses, businesses
date for comments of 30 March. and a university campus between Coate Water and the Great Western
The information was immediately available at www.swindonlink.com, but Hospital is over; a decision is expected by the end of June.
the majority of people will not be aware of the plans or its implications. The Save Coate Campaign which argued for the preservation of the
The proposals were presented in Purton on 4 March and a display green fi elds next to Coate are asking supporters to write to the Secretary
was organised on 11 March at Peatmoor after The Link called on West of State Hazel Blears explaining why Coate should be preserved. See
Swindon councillors to give people a chance to see them. details at: www.savecoate.org.uk

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