Page 8 - link magazine

THE COMPLETE Residents ready for Lydiard Fields fight and want others to join them
CURTAIN SERVICE The Lydiard Fields Action Group was set up to represent the interests of the many residents, both from Grange Park

CURTAINS TO SATISFY and beyond, who want to prevent the building of houses in the area around Lydiard Park, writes Tim Swinyard.
EVERY REQUIREMENT In protecting the area around the no-go development zone. ed unanimously at the West Swindon
•Free estimating, design & advice park, we want to ensure that the Over 150 people have objected to Forum meeting on 11 January.
•Home visits by appointment rural nature of this important part of this application and many more have The Lydiard Fields Action Group
•Make-up and fitting service Swindon’s past and present is main- made clear their feelings about the needs support to spread the word.
BLINDS OF ALL KINDS
•Wooden •Venetian tained. Yet it is under threat again in inappropriate application to build Help us by mailing: contactus@
•New linen •Roman a planning application for 73 houses. adjacent to such an iconic piece of lydiardfields.org.uk
•Verticals •Roller This is not just of interest to the Swindon’s heritage. This was support- www.lydiardfields.org.uk
•New Eastern materials
residents of Grange Park or visitors
PLEASE CALL FOR AN APPOINTMENT AT OUR
WORKSHOP AT 252 CRICKLADE ROAD (free parking) to Lydiard Park, but also people in
OR TO REQUEST A HOME VISIT Westlea who in 2004 and 2007 suf- Tadpole Lane due to reopen on 2 February
Call Tracey or Amanda on 01793 611051 or fered flooding as a result of rainwater There will be respite from heavy traffic on Purton Road and Thamesdown
[email protected]
www.completecurtainservice.co.uk running off fields subject to the new Drive when Tadpole Lane reopens for through traffic, though Oakhurst Way
planning application. We believe is likely to see more vehicles as drivers take more direct routes.
building here will reduce drainage The road has been closed since May last year for the rebuilding of road bridge
D & L Blinds capacity and significantly increase over the River Ray and major works on the listed Victorian railway bridge at
Rollers • Verticals • Venetians the danger of flooding. the Swindon & Crickade Railway Society’s Blunsdon Station.
Pleated Blinds • VELUX So far we have lobbied our MP Reopening is subject to the weather warming up to allow the final road
®
Conservatory Blinds and our local councillors, distributed surface to be laid.
Made-to-Measure Curtains thousands of leaflets in the area, and Railway volunteers needed
QUALITY BLINDS AT canvassed the local community. We The society had a tough time in 2012 because of reduced vehicle access, and
AFFORDABLE PRICES have also spoken out in the media on are appealing for volunteers to help them bounce back in what will be their
behalf of local residents.
Fast and reliable service Last year we supported the coun- thirtieth year since launching their conservation activities. Find out more at
All blinds fitted free cil at a planning inspection which www.ow.ly/gVl8N
Choose from a wide range resulted in the first application be-
of fabrics from the comfort ing rejected. We are looking to the Blunsdon 1,650 houses
of your own home comes out of the blue for some
Contact Paul on 01793 619428 council once again to throw this
new application out and to show the
www.dandlblinds.co.uk Blunsdon residents are reeling after Swindon Council published on 20
FREE QUOTES NO OBLIGATION developers that Lydiard Fields is a December a proposal for 1,650 houses to be built on agricultural land be-
tween B4019 ‘Broadbush’ south of Blunsdon village and Kingsdown Lane.
Concerned residents have until 21 proposals will have a major impact
Blunsdon Abbey Park February to comment on the council’s on Blunsdon, bearing in mind that
pre-submission draft of the Swindon the development is three times the
Borough Local Plan 2026.
Referred to in the document as size of the existing village.”
The council form inviting com-
Park Home Kingsdown the council proposes ments states that the document is in
up to 1,000 square metres of retail its final draft, and has been through
of the month space, a two form entry primary a number of consultations, result-
school and children’s centre, as well ing in less scope to make changes.
as sport, leisure and community fa- Expressing his bewilderment about
3 East Drive, cilities. Three points of vehicle access, who had therefore taken part in
Blunsdon Abbey Park including a brand new road bridge the consultations so far, Blunsdon
across the A419 towards Swindon, resident Michael Edwards said: “We
is new plot boasts stunning are highlighted. are now being asked to comment in a
views overlooking Swindon The Local Plan consultation of- timely fashion on something we didn’t
and the historic abbey ruins. from £159,950 fers the public a final opportunity to know we had the opportunity to com-
l Release equity and downsize comment on its ‘soundness’ and legal ment on because the borough council
l Spacious luxury accommodation compliance before it is submitted for haven’t told us about it before.”
l Stylish modern park home examination by a Planning Inspector. Explaining she had recently bought
l Safe and secluded setting Broadbush resident Matt Horan a property at Broadbush, resident
l High quality development heard of the plan from a Kingsdown Karen Montague said: “We bought
resident just before new year. Com- our house from a parish councillor
Release time and money menting on the position of Blunsdon who verbally assured us that nothing
to fulfil your dream! Parish Council which met on 7 Janu- would be built behind our property
ary, he said: “The councillors declared for a minimum of 15 years, and none
Call us on 01793 722100 and quote ref: LINK that they hadn’t known anything of the searches we had done suggested
about the proposals before the docu- anything about development there.”
www.pineview.co.uk ment was published in December. Residents are campaigning to raise
“Giving people nine weeks to awareness of the proposals. Find out
Blunsdon St Andrew, Swindon SN25 2DU review a document that has scant more and contribute comments on
detail and potentially conflicting Facebook - Blunsdon Action Group.
Images shown of a typical Wessex park home. information is inadequate for a See Swindon Council’s Local Plan
properly considered response. These at www.swindon.gov.uk/localplan
8 swindonlink.com • February 2013

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