DEVELOPMENT on land near Coate Water was first mooted 22 years ago.

In 1987 plans to build a hotel, business park and a golf course on land to the north east of Day House Lane were rejected by Swindon Council and dismissed on appeal by central Government.

In the 1990s land next to the Commonhead roundabout was earmarked in the council’s local plan for a park and ride site with a petrol station, restaurant and hotel.

The first successful application for the site came when the former Princess Margaret Hospital was replaced by the Great Western Hospital.

In 1998 Swindon Council granted planning permission for GWH, but said the hospital would be the only development allowed on Coate.

However, in 2003 Swindon Gateway Partnership unveiled plans to create a University of Bath campus for 8,000 people.

SGP – made up of Persimmon Homes and Redrow Homes – also planned to build 1,500 homes and set aside land for employment.

Swindon Council originally backed the plan but when the University of Bath pulled out of the deal in 2007 the relationship between the council and SGP broke down.

The developers continued to insist that a university was still part of their plans but repeatedly refused to be drawn on the identity of the institution.

It was not until December 2008 that the University of the West of England confirmed it was in talks with SGP to occupy a campus at Coate.

The news was a blow to the council, which had been in talks with UWE over establishing a town centre university at the council’s favoured location of North Star.

UWE had a presence in Swindon from 1996 until 2007, when the Oakfield campus was closed.

The Bristol-based university had expressed an interest in the original Coate proposal but the council opted for Bath as a more suitable institution.

After Bath pulled out of the deal in 2007 the council was determined that SGP would not be allowed to develop on the site.

When the council’s planning committee failed to deliver a decision on SGP’s applications the developers lodged an appeal with the Secretary of State.

This appeal led to the planning inquiry, and ultimately to yesterday’s decision not to allow the development.