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Community News

Strong opposition to Lydiard Park housing
The campaign to persuade Wiltshire “We have sought to involve
Council to reject Taylor Wimpey’s Lydiard Tregoze residents and
application to build houses close to stakeholders throughout this
Lydiard Park has resulted in more process to ensure that the scheme
than 400 letters of objection. is in line with the aspirations and
The developer says it's done all priorities of the local community as
it can to make sure the 48 houses far as possible.”
proposed in the vale below St Lydiard Tregoze Parish Council,
Mary’s Church, one field from which represents some 800
Lydiard Park will be an asset to the residents mainly around the hamlet
community. of Hook, three miles from Swindon,
But the Lydiard Park Heritage have declared support for the
Action Group is mounting concerted proposal. Taylor Wimpey has offered
pressure calling for the historic rural to gift 50 per cent of their land
setting of the park be preserved. holding to the parish council and it
Chair Kevin Fisher said: “The is thought they are considering it
Swindon planning core strategy could be suitable for allotments and
is clear that the boundary to the a burial ground.
west should remain as it is whilst Kevin Fisher commented: “Given
Wiltshire’s Local Plan warns against the distance of Lydiard Tregoze
unplanned development proposals residents to the site, it is hard to
to the west of the town. Both understand why they feature so
planning authorities have made it high on the consultation list.”
clear that heritage assets should “This is a trojan horse application.
be protected against intrusive Developers have options on most of
development.” the green fields between Swindon
Steven Neal, senior planning and Purton. If this site is permitted
manager for Taylor Wimpey outside the terms of the Wiltshire
Oxfordshire, said: “Following Local Plan, we will see a flood of
extensive public consultation over applications to build westwards.”
18 months, our planning application The application can be viewed and
has now been submitted to comments made until the end of
Wiltshire Council for determination October at: www.bit.ly/LPTWplan
later in the year. The reference is16/06978/FUL

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