Page 6 - link magazine

6 swindonlink.com • August 2009
Keep it safe 3,000 homes to the West threat lifted

Swindon Community Safety Part- - for the time being
nership (CSP), which includes
the Police and Swindon Borough A proposal to allocate land for 3,000 houses on Swindon’s western border with north Wiltshire - as well as
Council, is advising householders to development in other parts of the town - has been suspended until a legal challenge has been dealt with;
‘Lock It or Lose It’ this summer. a move welcomed by councillors and activists in both areas.
Nine out of ten burglaries are oppor- Development plans across the In the July Link coun Gary Per- numbers that bore no semblance
tunistic, with unlocked, open doors country over the last five years have kins, said that Swindon’s border to economic potential and need of
and windows making properties been taken away from the local level should expand westward to avoid the region.
particularly easy prey for burglars. and put in the hands of regional the development chaos of Wiltshire “There is now an opportunity for
development agencies to come up Council making major decisions the Government to reflect further
Ways to keep burglars with Regional Spatial Strategies which would have profound effects on the real economic potential and
at bay: (RSS) for development up to 2026. on the town. need of the region and to revise the
• close and lock doors and windows A final version of the document Coun Mollie Groom, who repre- house numbers significantly down-
– even if just ‘popping out’ or in the that sets out development across sents Lydiard Millicent on Wiltshire wards. To do anything less would
garden, and especially at night; South West England was due to Council, welcomed the High Court fly in the face of commonsense and
be published at the end of June but ruling. ”The fact that the RSS ap- local knowledge.
• keep sheds/garages/gates the High Court ruled that the RSS pears to be ‘kicked into touch’ for “Regional leaders have now to
locked, and chain up cycles;
plan for the East of England region two and a half years does make one listen to local voices, re-think the
• invest in a visible burglar alarm does not meet certain requirements wonder if a forthcoming general strategy and come up with some-
and movement sensitive lighting; and this will have to be argued election is the main decider. Let us thing that is sensible and truly
• keep valuables out of view and out before any plans can be put into hope that the public do not have to sustainable.”
of reach of windows and doors; practice. pay for yet more inquiries at some Shaw and Nine Elms councillor
• mark valuables with your post- Apart from completing North future date.” Keith Williams was pleased at the
Dr Richard Pagett of environ-
delay in agreeing the RSS. “In 2004
code, using a UV pen; Swindon and Wichelstowe, south mental group Purton Ps & Qs also the joint Swindon and North Wilt-
of Old Town next to the M4, Swin-
• going on holiday? Don’t close don planners have allocated land said the delay in the South West shire panel rejected the planning
your curtains, but ask a neighbour to the east of the town for 12,000 Region Strategy was very welcome inspectors demand for 1,000 more
to adjust them, to turn on lights, homes, land to the north around news. “The final version was not homes West of Swindon. To have
remove piled up post and add rub- Kingsdown and also Tadpole Farm sustainable in any way. It mis- 3,000 in the green belt to the west
bish to your bin. by Oakhurst. understood the notion of sustain- was plainly ridiculous. I hope the
If you believe anyone is acting Beyond Swindon in Wiltshire, ability comprehensively and was idea will be rethought by the next
suspiciously, make a note of their land was identified for 3,000 homes simply a meaningless set of house government after the election.”
description and details of any ve- north of Peatmoor which would
hicles, including direction of travel, have imposed huge pressure on Wichelstowe challenge
and contact the police on 0845 408 the town’s roads, education, water
7000 or 999 in an emergency. supply and sewage treatment. thrown out of court
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Campaigners trying to stop M4 Junction 16 becoming the main access
point to the Wichelstowe development failed in their legal bid in June
to block Swindon Council taking the project forward.
OPENING 1st August!!
OPENING 1st August!!
HE

M4
PRINT Junction 16

SHOP

Come and see us on Saturday, 1st August HayLane West
as we celebrate the opening of Wichel
‘The Print Shop’ where you’ll be able to get: The Campaign to Protect Rural CPRE.
Q Printing up to A3 in black & white or full colour England (CPRE) challenged the For years campaigners against
Q Photocopies up to A3 in black & white or full colour council in the High Court because the Wichelstowe development have
Q Laminating up to A3 in gloss or matt it claimed that it had not complied argued against extra traffic using
Q T-shirts and polos, embroidered or screen printed with a planning condition that no Junction 16, as well as the tunnel
Q Office and school stationery dwellings should be occupied in under the M4 to create a traffic ac-
Q Signage and banners and . . . the 4,500 development adjacent to cess route into Wichelstowe. They
Q A drink and some nibbles the motorway until details of the also fear housing expansion south
proposed alterations at Junction of the motorway and towards Woot-
Bring this advert for 20% discount on your first order! 16, and improvements to the B4005 ton Bassett.
Hay Lane and Wharf Road had been Coun Peter Greenhalgh, Swindon
Impresario UK Limited trading as
The Print Shop approved in writing. cabinet member for transport, said
They argued that the redesign he was pleased with the judgement
Unit 91, Basepoint Business Centre of Junction 16 was not safe for which would allow the project to
Rivermead Drive, Swindon SN5 7EX pedestrians and cyclists. But Judge move forward. “The council care-
Tel: 01793 608787 Q Fax: 01793 608801 Hickinbottom said the council had fully followed all the required pro-
email: [email protected] complied with planning require- cedures to make sure that there were
ments and awarded costs against no grounds for legal challenge.”

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