Hundreds opposing 1,700-home plans (From Swindon Advertiser)
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Hundreds opposing 1,700-home plans
11:00am Thursday 9th February 2012 in News By David Wiles
Stewart Boyd of Blunsdon with his petition
NEARLY 500 objections and two petitions have been made in opposition to plans to build almost 1,700 homes at Tadpole Farm.
Crest Nicholson has applied to Swindon Council to build 1,695 traditional family homes on the site at Blunsdon St Andrew, as well as other facilities, including a community centre, pub and primary school.
Swindon Council has so far received 453 letters or emails of objection from 503 different people living at 399 addresses, compared to nine letters of support.
The parish councils of Haydon Wick and Blunsdon have also objected, with the latter submitting a 175-name petition. Oakhurst Residents’ Association plans to submit its own 450-signature petition soon.
Stuart Boyd, the chairman of Blunsdon Parish Council, said parish councillors collected names at a public consultation hosted by Crest Nicholson at Blunsdon Village Hall, and people were quite happy to add their names.
“There’s a lot of concern. There’s serious concerns, mainly around traffic, in fact almost entirely about traffic,” he said.
“I think the development itself, if you could have it in isolation, could be quite nice. But the impact it will have on surrounding areas will be severe.
“The main problem is there’s not the road infrastructure to serve the number of vehicles that will ultimately be generated.
“Event- ually there will be congestion on the junction between Oakhurst Way and Thamesdown Drive, and between Ermin Street in Blunsdon and the B4019 outside of The Cold Harbour pub.”
Oakhurst Residents’ Association is rallying support ahead of a planning committee meeting, on a date to be set, where a decision will be made on whether the development will go ahead.
Secretary Stephanie Exell said she was pleased with the number of objections but called on people to continue sending them to the council.
She said: “It’s nearly 100 per cent of people in Oakhurst saying they’re against Tadpole Farm, and that says something. Oakhurst Way is going to be the main road they use for 75 per cent of the traffic, which is totally unfair.
“We think it’s a good number of objections. It sends a message to the councillors on the planning committee that the people in the area don’t want Tadpole Farm without the infrastructure.”
John Terry, managing director Crest Strategic Projects, said: "Swindon's Core Strategy for growth and development identifies clear demand for new housing and Tadpole Farm has been identified by Swindon Council as the most sustainable site to accommodate this development.
"Proposals to develop Tadpole Farm have been prepared in accordance with the Core Strategy and Crest Strategic Projects has participated fully in the Council's consultation process.
"To mitigate the development impact on local infrastructure, we have worked with the Council to develop a comprehensive traffic calming scheme.
"This is intended to slow traffic on Tadpole Lane and deter rat-running traffic travelling to/from the A419. Proposals at Tadpole Farm aim to increase vehicle journey times on Tadpole Lane to discourage motorists from diverting off Thamesdown Drive when travelling to/from the A419.
"We're confident that the access strategy, coupled with this very robust travel plan and the increased bus service provision will ensure there is no worsening of traffic congestion."
For more information about the association, call Stephanie on 01793 703276 or email steph.exell@sky.com
Comments(24)
The Artist formally known as Grumpy Old Man
says...
12:47pm Thu 9 Feb 12
Highworth Lad wrote:Errrrr, no.
err NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! NIMBY !! =o)
A.Baron-Cohen
says...
1:38pm Thu 9 Feb 12
It is also true that Swindon lacks the adequate infrastructure to support any further developments.
To me it seems sensible to allow the tadpole farm development, and start upgrading the surrounding roads
Jim Royle
says...
2:42pm Thu 9 Feb 12
mr_fix_it
says...
3:11pm Thu 9 Feb 12
The Artist formally known as Grumpy Old Man
says...
3:12pm Thu 9 Feb 12
A.Baron-Cohen wrote:It won't attract professionals. It will attract commuters looking for cheap housing because they can't afford house prices in Bath/Reading/Oxford.
The sad reality in Swindon is that we absolutely need this sort of housing to attract professionals and kickstart the local economy.
It is also true that Swindon lacks the adequate infrastructure to support any further developments.
To me it seems sensible to allow the tadpole farm development, and start upgrading the surrounding roads
It won't attract professionals. There are very few jobs for them in Swindon and that situation is not likely to change in the near future.
To me it seems ridiculous to allow this (or other) development(s) without upgrading the infrastructure first. There are already too many instances of traffic hell in Swindon where the infrastructure was allowed to come after the building, and guess what, it never came!
It's not just the surrounding roads that need to be upgraded. This, along with the Wimpey development along the road "in Wiltshire" and other developments in the area, will add 5000+ cars to the existing infrastructure which already struggles to cope. This will have an impact throughout North Swindon, the A419, Mead Way and through West Swindon, Rodbourne, Stratton, Highworth, Blunsdon and so on.
A.Baron-Cohen
says...
3:41pm Thu 9 Feb 12
The Artist formally known as Grumpy Old Man wrote:We need more housing, to provide for the 1000s of Swindonians registered on the housing list and to attract working professionals and their families.
A.Baron-Cohen wrote:It won't attract professionals. It will attract commuters looking for cheap housing because they can't afford house prices in Bath/Reading/Oxford.
The sad reality in Swindon is that we absolutely need this sort of housing to attract professionals and kickstart the local economy.
It is also true that Swindon lacks the adequate infrastructure to support any further developments.
To me it seems sensible to allow the tadpole farm development, and start upgrading the surrounding roads
It won't attract professionals. There are very few jobs for them in Swindon and that situation is not likely to change in the near future.
To me it seems ridiculous to allow this (or other) development(s) without upgrading the infrastructure first. There are already too many instances of traffic hell in Swindon where the infrastructure was allowed to come after the building, and guess what, it never came!
It's not just the surrounding roads that need to be upgraded. This, along with the Wimpey development along the road "in Wiltshire" and other developments in the area, will add 5000+ cars to the existing infrastructure which already struggles to cope. This will have an impact throughout North Swindon, the A419, Mead Way and through West Swindon, Rodbourne, Stratton, Highworth, Blunsdon and so on.
We also need to create 1000s of jobs in Swindon.
The reality is that doing nothing is hurting Swindon a lot more than doing something wrong.
A.Baron-Cohen
says...
3:41pm Thu 9 Feb 12
The Artist formally known as Grumpy Old Man wrote:We need more housing, to provide for the 1000s of Swindonians registered on the housing list and to attract working professionals and their families.
A.Baron-Cohen wrote:It won't attract professionals. It will attract commuters looking for cheap housing because they can't afford house prices in Bath/Reading/Oxford.
The sad reality in Swindon is that we absolutely need this sort of housing to attract professionals and kickstart the local economy.
It is also true that Swindon lacks the adequate infrastructure to support any further developments.
To me it seems sensible to allow the tadpole farm development, and start upgrading the surrounding roads
It won't attract professionals. There are very few jobs for them in Swindon and that situation is not likely to change in the near future.
To me it seems ridiculous to allow this (or other) development(s) without upgrading the infrastructure first. There are already too many instances of traffic hell in Swindon where the infrastructure was allowed to come after the building, and guess what, it never came!
It's not just the surrounding roads that need to be upgraded. This, along with the Wimpey development along the road "in Wiltshire" and other developments in the area, will add 5000+ cars to the existing infrastructure which already struggles to cope. This will have an impact throughout North Swindon, the A419, Mead Way and through West Swindon, Rodbourne, Stratton, Highworth, Blunsdon and so on.
We also need to create 1000s of jobs in Swindon.
The reality is that doing nothing is hurting Swindon a lot more than doing something wrong.
Robh
says...
4:05pm Thu 9 Feb 12
What makes anyone think they can handle this development any better. It will be just like Wichelstowe lots of houses with no services and roads leading on to congested roads.
who dat?
says...
7:42pm Thu 9 Feb 12
The only road which was capable of handling volume traffic, Quuen's Drive,has been bastardised so much that it is just a joke!!
I Too
says...
9:54pm Thu 9 Feb 12
mr_fix_it wrote:Absolutely.
What Swindon needs right now is not more houses, but long term job creation to address the worsening unemployment problem. Building houses will give a small boost to the construction industry, but it won't solve the underlying problem, in fact it will add to it. Rejecting this development seems to be the most sensible thing to do, at least until there are jobs available to justify all these new households.
For decades, SBC and "planners" have claimed that building yet more houses will help Swindon as a town.
It has not. It doesn't. It will not.
Building more houses will increase the population without an increase of long term/permanent employment.
It adds congestion and chokes the town.
Add this to SBCs penchant for closing or restricting roads and the end result can only be negative.
Besides, thanks to Robfm, I am now unemployed and don't need any extra competition for the few vacancies available.
msw
says...
11:45pm Thu 9 Feb 12
Robfm
says...
7:22am Fri 10 Feb 12
I Too
says...
8:17am Fri 10 Feb 12
You don't say.
Robfm
says...
10:22am Fri 10 Feb 12
I Too
says...
9:20pm Fri 10 Feb 12
You just had to post something because you have nothing else to do in your dull life.
Why don't you just start every thread with
"I am Robfm The Bored Barman"
Robfm
says...
9:33am Sat 11 Feb 12
I Too
says...
6:40pm Sat 11 Feb 12
That's why you made the last superfluous comment.
Because this is your entire life saddo.
Robfm
says...
9:23am Sun 12 Feb 12
I Too
says...
9:53am Sun 12 Feb 12
Robfm wrote:It demonstrates that I have travelled out of town for some live entertainment and therefore I have a life.
Finding the need to post on here from a mobile device on your way home from a gig, whilst your wife is driving makes who the 'saddo'.
Hardly going to take in scenery at night time so quite logical to surf the internet during the journey home.
As you had to question that, it makes YOU the saddo.
These threads are all you have because YOU are a saddo
That's why your car park is always empty
Robfm
says...
10:07am Sun 12 Feb 12
Get a life, it will be good for your mental well being.
I Too
says...
6:54pm Sun 12 Feb 12
I am heterosexual.
I do not require any more pictures of your empty car park.
I will inform my solicitor of your "advances"
Robfm
says...
9:01pm Sun 12 Feb 12
Just another number
says...
8:15am Mon 13 Feb 12
Highworth Lad says...
12:26pm Thu 9 Feb 12