Page 7 - link magazine

swindonlink.com • May 2011 7
All agreed. No infrastructure, no 1,700 houses at Tadpole Farm

unless developer delivers plans to satisfy Swindon Council and residents

With BBC Wiltshire’s morning Oakhurst resident Steve Austen
presenter Graham Mack holding said flooding could be a major
the ring Swindon Council leader problem with further development
Rod Bluh, North Swindon MP because existing watercourses are
Justin Tomlinson, and Swindon’s poorly maintained and don’t have
director of planning Dave Potter capacity for water run off from
were given a grilling at a public Tadpole Farm.
meeting organised by Oakhurst Chair of Haydon Wick Parish
Residents’ Association on 6 April, Council Richard Hailstone called
reports Juliet Platt. for the promised extension of
Also facing the audience were Thamesdown Drive to Barnfield
Abbey Meads ward councillors Vera Listening to community views, from left, Ian Birch, chair of Oakhurst Residents’ Road to be built before more hous-
Tomlinson, Peter Stoddart, Peter Association, North Swindon MP Justin Tomlinson, ORA secretary, Stephanie ing is agreed.
Heaton-Jones, and ward Labour Exell, Swindon Council leader Rod Bluh, meeting chair Graham Mack Coun Steve Wakefield, represent-
candidate Mark Viner. that pent up demand. We’ve got to caused by the proposals. ing Toothill & Westlea in West Swin-
When asked directly by Graham remember that 1,700 houses are not “To a large extent we are bound don, echoed the call for a new access
Mack, none of the panel raised going to appear overnight. These by what is laid out in the Core road. “The congestion on Mead Way
their hands in support of the Tad- developments can take ten to fifteen Strategy of 2008, and if we refuse caused by the growth of traffic from
pole Farm development north of years to come through and are con- to cooperate with developers then North Swindon is a disaster.”
Oakhurst and Redhouse. Neverthe- stantly subject to market forces.” the proposals will go to appeal and Redhouse resident Steve Tovey,
less the site has been earmarked for The majority of concerns voiced we will lose the opportunity to have expressed concern about the impact
expansion in Swindon’s draft for- by the public at the meeting were any influence.” of more housing across the border in
ward planning Core Strategy since about infrastructure issues, includ- Justin Tomlinson MP said “the ex- Wiltshire, at Ridgeway Farm (800)
2007. It would fulfil 9 per cent of the ing traffic, school places, health isting road network in the northern and Pry Farm (2,000).
perceived need for extra houses in provision and the risk of flooding. sector is struggling with 10,000 hous- Steph Exell, secretary of Oakhurst
the town up to 2026. Dave Potter, director of planning es. It’s clear that we need concrete Residents Association, said, “we
Coun Bluh emphasised that the and transport, said, “unfortunately plans for additional infrastructure were very pleased to see so many
uncertainty of the economic climate the fact that new developments before I can be in favour of more concerned people at the meeting,
means that development decisions will cause more traffic congestion housing. The recent consultations but this is merely our opening
are difficult to make. “It’s really and queuing at junctions does not have been developer driven and salvo. It’s all very well to say you’re
important that as councillors we constitute grounds for refusing ap- need to be taken with an extremely against something, you have to
tell you the truth. We keep hearing plications. Tests would need to be large pinch of salt. We need an in- deliver on promises.”
that there is a shortage of houses, carried out instead on the level of dependent and robust consultation http://bit.ly.oakhurst
so we need a strategy to cope with nuisance, inconvenience and safety before decisions can be made.” Full story at http://bit.ly/slink7

1-20 May 11.indd 7 14/04/2011 15:18