Could the 1968 vision for 'Super Swindon' come true?

With the inexorable expansion of Swindon in all directions, Roger Ogle speculates on the future.

Over the last few years permission has been given to build at Tadpole Farm in the north, Badbury Park next to Coate Water and in and around Wroughton. The development of Wichelstowe is still far from complete, and building has yet to start on the 10,000 houses proposed for East Swindon.

More recently, the 1968 'Silver Book' study of town expansion envisaged Swindon absorbing Purton, growing a town of 100,000 to a city of 400,000 by year 2000. This target was scaled back by central government to around 250,000 people but we’re still well short of that number.

Currently there are around 220,000 people living within the boundaries of Swindon Borough. The 11,000 homes in West Swindon as we know it now is on the edge of the urban envelope. In 2009 a joint report by Wiltshire and Swindon planners considered a range of sites beyond the town's western boundary - illustrated right. Pry Farm (10) was identified as the preferred place for future large scale house building. This could provide space for 3,000 houses, though access could see a road built across the edge of Mouldon Hill Park to join with Thamesdown Drive.

While the agreed current Local Plans for Wiltshire and Swindon outlines long term development until 2016, house building companies have been able to gain permissions on sites not in the plan by appealing against rejections by both Wiltshire and Swindon's planning committee.

Two such are the 150 homes at Mouldon View (9) off Purton Road, now completed, whilst the 700 houses at Ridgeway Farm (8) are well underway. A new application for 81 houses off Purton Road, opposite Moulden View, has been submitted to Wiltshire.

The next Local Plan is not due until 2026, but the pressure from central government for new houses may encourage house builders to try and secure permission well before then. There are rumours that Hook Street South (1), could soon be subject to a planning application for up to 2,000 houses. If Pry Farm was to be permitted in the next eight years, it's a short step to the 2026 Local Plan identifying even more green fields close to Cricklade and Purton as ripe for development. The vision for Swindon outlined in 1968 could be achieved in the next twenty years.