DEVELOPERS who want to destroy our village can “sling their hook,” say residents as plans are put in motion to build 71 houses in Blunsdon.

A fog of anger and frustration fell over the village at the weekend as residents gathered at Blunsdon Village Hall to pore over the latest proposals.

Swindon-based company Castlewood Commercial Properties Ltd wants to build 71 homes complete with access roads, footpaths and garages on land off Sams Lane in Broad Blunsdon.

It is one of many planning proposals that have left residents feeling “under siege” in recent months, fearful that the character of the village is being distorted beyond recognition.

With representatives from CCP in attendance, organisers anticipated a tense and fractious atmosphere inside the hall, and their fears were not misplaced.

Ian Jankinson, chairman of the Blunsdon Parish Council, said: “We are being flooded by developers in the village and we are totally opposed to this proposal for 71 houses.”

There were numerous objections made by residents. Some feared that if the proposals were granted it would “open the flood gates” to further development, while others simply didn’t think the village had the infrastructure to cope.

However, by far the most popular objection was to the inevitable increase in traffic.

Ian said: “It’s almost 100 per cent traffic. The roads around here were simply not built to cope with what is being proposed.”

Villager Martin Shaw agreed. Clearly angry, he said: “It’s too much. It’s a liberty. This village simply cannot cope with 71 more houses, it’s ridiculous.”

The point was also raised that, due to Swindon Borough Council lacking a five-year housing land supply, planning permission could be refused only to be granted by the Planning Inspectorate when the developers inevitably appeal.

This has left the council reluctant to refuse to grant permission for fear of having to go through the costly appeal process. This dilemma was recently described by one councillor as “the last nail in the coffin for self-determination in Swindon”.

But the developers on Saturday did their best to put on a brave face.

CCP’s Neil Cowley said: “We completely understand the feeling among residents, but Swindon has a housing shortage and we think this is a suitable site to build on.

“I understand people’s concerns about traffic but the highways team have taken that into consideration and do not think it will cause a problem.”

Neil spoke of the benefits he thought the development would bring and said he was hopeful that he could successfully communicate them to the villagers.

“It’s a disgrace,” said one woman as she was leaving, thoroughly unconvinced by what she had heard.