SWINDON is set for a mini baby-boom in the coming years as the town expands and attracts more young families.

In recent years there has been a steady fall in the birth rate but the council is predicting there will be a rise in 2016 which will continue until at least 2021 when there is expected to be more than 3,200 births.

A report outlining the plans of the council’s health and wellbeing board in the coming years points to the fact this will be a major contributing factor to the town’s population growth.

The report says: “We are seeing an increase in the birth rate in Swindon. Swindon is steadily attracting young families seeking employment and is a town that is expanding. With this will come a boom in the birth rate from 2016-2022.”

Earlier this year, Swindon’s local plan was approved meaning around 22,000 homes are set to be built in the town over the next decade.

This means Swindon is set to see a population increase of 14 per cent by 2021, faster than the national increase.

The report goes on to say: “Swindon Borough is the most populous authority in Wiltshire and is growing amongst the fastest rates in England.

The 2013 population projections report 214,000 for Swindon (including Highworth and Wroughton) and 220,000 including Shrivenham.

“This is an increase of 18 per cent since 2001. Residents are predominantly based in the town of Swindon with the remainder residing in the surrounding rural areas.”

Despite the extra pressures this will put on resources, with the obvious need for extra school places, council chiefs say they are prepared for the rise and have been preparing.

Coun Fionuala Foley (Con, Chiseldon and Lawn), the cabinet member for children’s services, said: “We are looking at figures and changes all the time so this report is not a surprise to me. There were no alarm bells ringing when I saw it.

“We work closely with the Clinical Commissioning Group and we have a great team of officers who regularly monitor the changing figures.

“What we can’t tell is if people are going to stay in Swindon once they have had a baby so these figures do change but we are preparing and have planned schools in all the major developments.

“It is fantastic though that we have all these young families coming to Swindon.

“This brings the businesses because they know there is a work force and then in turn brings the development.”