Housing developer appeals 700 home Swindon development

Taylor Wimpey has appealed the Council's decision to refuse permission for the development on the basis that the Council did not determine the application within the legal time limit.

There is an “urgent need for housing in Swindon and both councils [Wiltshire and Swindon] were in the process of bringing forward planning strategies identifying the need for housing west of Swindon,” said Patrick Clarkson QC, representing Taylor Wimpey, who also said that the proposals are an appropriate way to speed up the delivery of homes in Swindon.

The area's Regional Spatial Strategies and structural plan had special provision for 1,200 homes on the western edge of the main urban area, and Ridgeway Farm and Moredon Bridge were later identified as sustainable locations for this growth, said Clarkson, according to local reports.

 The development would include a primary school and open green space which Taylor Wimpey said would make the development sustainable.

The Shaw Residents’ Association (SRA) has campaigned against the development. It argued that the plans are unsustainable and unsynchronized with the strategic objectives of the Wiltshire  Council Core Strategy, a strategy that is backed by the SRA.

The proposed development breached a number of strategic objectives of the Core Strategy, the SRA said.  It would "not provide any long term job opportunities...will  have a catastrophic impact on local infrastructure, especially road links...and [the development] proposal lies on or near a flood plain”, the group said (2-pages / 277KB PDF).

The development has also been opposed by local councillors, who argue that because the development is on the border of two local authority areas, Swindon would not be adequately compensated.

 “The people at Ridgeway Farm will be using Swindon’s infrastructure- our roads, our schools, our doctors’ surgeries- but paying council tax to Wiltshire Council. To us, that is not fair,” said Councillor Williams, according to local reports. Other councillors argued that the development was being done "on the cheap".  

The Planning Inspectorate will decide whether to allow the appeal and grant planning permission after the appeal hearing.