A GRANT bid for projects to improve Swindon’s historic Railway Village has been given the reluctant backing of parish councillors.

South Swindon Parish Council had been asked by the borough’s planning team to lend their support to the funding application to Historic England.

Borough chiefs want to make the Railway Village, built as the GWR works expanded in the mid-19th century, a Heritage Action Zone. Such zones in towns like Weston-super-Mare have attracted millions of pounds in funding and support from tourism and building consultants.

While parish councillors supported the principle behind the bid, they questioned how they could support a proposal when so little detail had been presented about the application.

Patrick Herring, Eastcott parish councillor, told a planning committee meeting: “It’s not ideal. If we’re being asked to be a partner, it’s not a great footing to start a partnership on if the extent of what they want from us is a piece of paper. That’s not really a partnership.”

Karen Phimister, a Swindon Borough Council planning officer, attended a parish council meeting in June to set out the overall aims of the Heritage Action Zone bid and ask for councillors’ support.

At that meeting, Coun Junab Ali asked for more detail: “I need to see more meat on the table to be able to support this.”

Almost two months on, Coun Herring again asked for the extra detail on what the zone project would involve: “If [Ms Phimister] would be willing to give us a report on what it is we’re supporting, I’d be happier.”

Coun John Firmin added: “I’m not absolutely sure, below this level of good words, what it is we’re actually being asked to endorse. I would have thought if this bid was being submitted, you’d have thought there should have been something more by now.”

In papers shared with parish councillors, the borough said the project would last between three and five years. It could result in the restoration of buildings and other historic features, heritage trails and better links to the Swindon Designer Outlet.

An initial bid will be submitted to Historic England, the government’s heritage quango, by August 29. If successful, a team led by the borough council would spend up to four months preparing more detail on the project before it is launched in April next year.

Karen Phimister, a borough planning policy officer, said earlier this year: “We’re really enthusiastic about this in the planning team and we think it could bring significant benefits to the town. Apart from funding resources and expertise from Historic England, this is an opportunity to build bridges with local community groups that haven’t always been smooth.”

South Swindon Parish Council agreed to support the Heritage Action Zone application.