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12 swindonlink.com • July 2012
North expansion at Tadpole Farm approved; 2013 start a possibility
Swindon Council planning committee agreed overwhemingly on 12 June that Crest Nicholson can build 1,695 houses to the north of Oakhurst
and Redhouse, subject to further negotiations about education provision and traffic relief, and building could commence next year.
Crest’s plans include a primary The developer is to pay £2,229,500 wards secondary education, £25,000 ning being turned down in the
school, a shopping centre and pub in Section 106 contributions to- for special education needs, and early 1990s; he didn’t want to see
on a village street, and an employ- wards transport and road safety £275,384 for a community hall. the mistakes of the past repeated.
ment area. They will also give 100 improvements, as well as money As the three hour discussion got The permission to proceed is
acres next to the River Ray as well to benefit the new community. underway the council’s planning subject to further negotiations and
as £200,000 to the Wiltshire Wildlife This includes over £5 million for solicitor told the committee that agreement between Crest, planning
Trust to create a nature park. the primary school, £2,725,352 to- the principles of development at officers and local councillors on
Tadpole Farm had been established Section 106 contributions.
Swindon performer will appear in and rejection or deferment of the Crest managing director John
application would require sound Terry said he was pleased with the
two Olympic stadium ceremonies planning reasons. decision. “This is the result of 9
With that in mind, Cllr Vera Tom- years’ careful work to get Tadpole
Janine Cowie from Haydon End in North Swindon has the unusual
distinction of being selected to perform in both the opening and clos- linson said Crest Nicholson must Farm right. I respect the views of
ing ceremonies of the 2012 London Olympics. take much of the blame for the poor residents concerned about further
development of Priory Vale over the house building and these have been
She was born in and with the cutbacks last ten years. However she could taken account of. We are no longer
Swindon and spent in arts funding to pay not see a reason for turning down fettered by housing policies of the
the first two years of for the Olympics, it’s Tadpole Farm as Crest would win former Labour government which
her life here but went been a huge struggle the appeal at a cost to the council determined so much of Priory
to school in Reading to gain work. and loss of the 106 money. Vale. It means we will have a much
where her late father “All the performers Nevertheless Cllr Peter Heaton- higher quality of development at
worked, before attend- are volunteers and are Jones said residents were very un- Tadpole Farm.
ing the Oxford School rehearsing by taking happy about the extra 300 vehicles “There is still a lot of detailed
of Drama and Carlisle annual holiday; all that will use Oakhurst Way at peak work to be done on the design stan-
Institute of the Arts. they receive are trans- times. He added that Crest had not dards to be met and we will continue
She currently has a port expenses. Most of delivered on Redhouse Village Cen- to consult with the community on
place with the highly sought after them have been selected for either tre and he questioned if they would these issues. With a fair wind I’d
East 15 Acting School from where the opening or closing ceremony, so on the centre for Tadpole Farm. hope we can get on site in 2013.”
she auditioned to take part in the it’s unusual for Janine to be taken
Olympic showcase spectacular. on for both.”
Mum Ros said: “I’m delighted The £27 million opener called
that Janine has been selected. She ‘Green and Pleasant’ portrays ar-
has worked so hard, but with so tistic director Danny Boyle’s vision
many other young people coming of Britain and features 10,000 vol-
out of drama and dance courses, unteers and 120 farmyard animals.
Protestors at the Civic Offices before the planning committee
who were disappointed by the outcome of the meeting
Oakhurst Residents’ Association He added that Tadpole Farm
Why everybody (yes, you too) (ORA) chair Paul Exell told the com- means that Swindon Council can
mittee that the application should demonstrate it is satisfying the five
needs to consider a Will. be rejected as there were too many year housing supply requirement;
issues still to be decided, such as the decision will provide defence
• If you don't have a Will, a total stranger will decide what when a primary school would be against opportunistic planning ap-
should be done with your estate and possibly your children. built, how the extra traffic from plications for other green field sites.
1,695 houses will be accommo- ORA secretary Steph Exell said
• If you are married and you do not have a Will the amount dated, and whether the rapid-bus she was dismayed by the decision.
your spouse can inherit is limited. route would go past Redhouse Vil- “ORA has been seeking improve-
• If you are co-habiting your partner will have no automatic lage Centre or along Oakhurst Way. ments for over two years but we saw
right to any of your assets, including the home you share. Terry Hunt, chair of the Rod- council officers and the councillors
Worse still they can even be evicted bourne Residents’ Association talking the application into defeat.
told the meeting that the impact The planning committee should
• If you have children under 18 they can be taken into State of extra traffic from the site would have demanded better traffic al-
Care. Godparents have no legal standing. add to the gridlock on all routes to leviation for Oakhurst Way. It’s sad
and from the town. He described that a beautiful part of the town is
• Your family home can be forcibly sold to pay for your Long
Term Care fees if necessary. Crest’s claim that a rapid-transit bus to be concreted over.”
could carry passengers to the town • Campaigners against the building
A professionally written Will can avoid all this, as well as centre in 25 minutes as ‘complete of 700 houses at Ridgeway Farm
providing peace of mind that your affairs are in order. nonsense.’ will now be hoping that the planning
Committee member Cllr Keith inspector considering the recent
32 – 33 Commercial Road, Swindon, SN1 5NS. Williams said the inadequacies of appeal will recognise that Swindon
Tel: 01793 433705 / www.foresightwills.com the North Swindon development is providing housing and expansion
were partly due to outline plan- into Wiltshire is not needed.
Foresight Wills are proud members of the New Leaf Will Writers Federation.
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