Public to have their say on Swindon’s draft Local Plan

Members of the public will have their first chance to provide feedback on Swindon’s draft Local Plan after the summer holidays.

Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet have agreed to begin the first round of consultation on the Local Plan, known as Regulation 18, for a period of six weeks from 1 September, subject to its being endorsed by all councillors later this month.
The Local Plan sets the strategic development vision and requirements for the borough. This includes identifying the amount, type and location for development that the council is supportive of.
It is a legal requirement that Local Plans are reviewed every five years, and the council says community engagement is a crucial part of preparation before the plan is submitted for examination by an independent Planning Inspector.

Cllr Kevin Small, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Finance, who is also responsible for strategic planning, said: “The Local Plan has a vital role to play in guarding against speculative development and making sure we have houses in the right places within the Borough.
“To make the Local Plan as strong as it can be, we need people who live in Swindon, local businesses, landowners, Parish Councils and community groups to give their feedback in this first round of consultation.
“This is why I was keen that the consultation started after the summer holiday period, so that as many people as possible can have their say. We will be releasing details nearer the time on how people can get involved.”
The Government’s new housing targets mean that Swindon has to deliver 1,205 homes each year over the course of the next two decades and the Local Plan needs to take into account this requirement.
Early supply assessments have indicated that much of this need - 24,100 homes - can already be met via ‘rolled over’ strategic sites from the 2026 Local Plan, such as the New Eastern Villages, Wichelstowe and Kingsdown, but there remains an outstanding need for around 7,000 new homes over the Plan period.
As a result, the draft version of the Plan will include a range of new site allocations that meet the borough’s housing needs, while also providing a buffer of additional sites.
These include an additional five clusters of sites in the Central Area, East Wroughton, North Tadpole, Pipers Way and Marlowe Avenue, paving the way for area polices to carefully manage their proposed growth.
The Central Area hub will focus on sustainable housing delivery within the town centre in line with the council’s Heart of Swindon vision to encourage taller, mixed-use development to come forward, where viability allows.
The draft Local Plan will also set out the housing types and tenures needed for Swindon’s growing population, a 30 per cent affordable housing target for developments of more than 10 homes, and a focus on accessible and specialist housing for those that need it.
The plan will also take into consideration Swindon’s need for additional employment land, the transport infrastructure required to support development and essential community facilities.
The council says further details about how residents, businesses and community groups can give their views on the draft Local Plan will be publicised in due course.