SWINDON council last night defended its borders sending a clear message to Wiltshire County Council to build somewhere else.

Councillor Nick Martin brought forward the motion to act over the planned development in Wiltshire on West Swindon’s borders at last night’s full council meeting.

The motion refers to the controversial plans to build 800 homes near Ridgeway Farm which has been submitted to Wiltshire Council.

Councillors are concerned that the development will rely heavily on the services and infrastructure in West Swindon which will not be able to support it.

People living in the houses will provide no council tax to Swindon Council despite it being the main provider of services to the development.

The council voted unanimously in favour of the motion requesting that the leader of the council, Rod Bluh, write to their opposite numbers on Wiltshire Council to ask formally that Wiltshire Council update its planning policy framework as a matter of urgency.

Gary Perkins, deputy leader of the council, said: “We are looking to defend the boundaries of Swindon otherwise all these housing developments will piggyback on the resources of Swindon.

“This development is in Wiltshire not Swindon but we know what services will be used.

“For Wiltshire Council to make no comment is immoral and we will do everything we can to make sure it doesn’t happen.”

Michael Dickinson, ward councillor for Freshbrook and Grange Park, said: “It’s not quite a few new houses on the edge of the West Swindon development it’s a whole Grange Park and there will be three or four more.

“They are all around Swindon and it is a fairly easy decision for Wiltshire councillors to make. Why don’t they build around their towns?

“We don’t want these houses, we don’t need these houses.”

John Brady, cabinet member for housing at WIltshire County Council, responded to the motion before the meeting.

He said:“Unfortunately, we cannot comment on this particular development because any comments on a current planning application could be seen to prejudice our planning committee’s decision.

“Regarding Swindon Council’s motion about development in Swindon, we would point out that Wiltshire and Swindon councils agreed a planning policy framework in 2006 which set out housing figures until 2016.

“This was due to be replaced by the Regional Spatial Strategies – binding housing targets from central government. However, following the government’s intention to abolish these targets, the original agreed framework and the housing figures it sets out are still valid. We are of course working on our new planning framework as a matter of priority.”