THE scale of official opposition to a university and 1,800 homes on Coate Water’s doorstep, has been revealed.

The contentious plan for land near Coate has provoked strong reactions.

A petition against the scheme has attracted more than 50,000 signatures – including a number of high profile names.

Now papers prepared by Swindon Council for planners have shown that a number of government bodies have had major misgivings over the proposal.

Concerns raised with the council included worries about the loss of archaeology, green space and wildlife as well as fears over insufficient road links and flooding.

And those raising concerns over the plan include the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England, the Highways Agency, the Environment Agency, parish councils, the county archaeologist, Wiltshire Wildlife Trust and Natural England.

Coun Phil Young, Swindon Council’s cabinet member for economic development and regeneration, said: “The strength of opposition to this has always been very clear.

“It is the strength of opposition to the plan, and details of those objections, which has meant it has taken a long time for us to deal with the application.”

The battle over Coate has raged for years.

It took a twist early last year when the University of Bath dropped out of the scheme. Since then the developer, the Gateway Partnership, has claimed it has had another institution interested in taking up the campus – but has refused to say who.

After Bath pulled out the developer revised its plan and put it to Swindon Council.

But when officers continued to raise issues the firm applied straight to the Government for a final answer.

Now a planning inspector will decide its fate at a public inquiry early next year.

So that the opinion of Swindon Council can be put to that inquiry, the authority’s planning committee will debate the scheme next week – and officers are recommending that the councillors say they would have refused the scheme planning permission.

Coun Young said: “I expect the planning committee to deal with this application on its merits but to take into account the many comments made and issues raised about this plan.”

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