RESIDENTS in Wichelstowe grilled representatives from Taylor Wimpey yesterday in fierce opposition to plans to build 62 homes on Ambrose Road Field.

The developers met furious locals at South Swindon MP Robert Buckland’s Wood Street office in an effort to address their concerns.

One resident, Amanda Jenkins, who has lived in the area for the past 25 years, laid down the law in no uncertain terms.

Taking no prisoners, Amanda said: “We feel like you are coming in and trying to make money out of this and we are angry that you are proposing to build on a floodplain. It will have a huge impact on all our lives. It is not welcome.”

A planning application for 62 homes to be built on the field, described by Amanda as an “historical floodplain”, was submitted by Taylor Wimpey in May 2014, but was subsequently withdrawn in March 2015.

It has since been relaunched and residents are doing all they can to mount a united opposition.

Seeking to explain the application process, Daniel Cook, acting on behalf of Taylor Wimpey, told residents: “There are two stages we have to go through. First, we ask if this can be done in principle. If the answer is yes, then we look at the details and for ways in which it can be done properly. That’s very important.”

The main issues raised were the possibility of flooding, environmental destruction – namely, the loss of the green barrier separating Wichelstowe and Old Town – and the likely increase in traffic.

Anthea Hilson, who lives in nearby Linley Close, said: “Flooding is a massive concern for us. The water is there, we know it’s there, and building on that field will make it much more likely to flood.”

Addressing concerns about flooding, Taylor Wimpey’s strategic land and planning manager, Struan Power, said that the field was in flood zone one, which means there is a 0.1 per cent chance of flooding in any given year.

Parish councillor Nick Burns-Howell said: “We have been working alongside local residents to ensure that their concerns are heard by Taylor Wimpey. We have spent the last few months knocking on doors, delivering information leaflets, sending emails, posting on social media and hosting meetings, all with the aim of making residents aware of the planning application and have their opinions listen to.

“We have asked Taylor Wimpey directly to withdraw this inappropriate application. This is not about nimbyism, this is about backing the Council’s commitment to the local plan and getting developers to adhere to it.”

Only those who live in Croft Road and in the area directly around Ambrose Field were invited, and residents demanded the company hold a public meeting for people from the wider area to air their concerns. The company said they had no plans to hold such a meeting.

Mr Power explained they chose to meet with residents one-on-one as conversations would be “more constructive”.