THE three councillors who are elected in the Shaw ward will be expected to fight against the development of 700 homes at Ridgeway Farm, residents say.

Shaw is a new ward, with a similar boundary to the existing Shaw and Nine Elms ward, and it covers Shaw, Middleaze, Eastleaze, Nine Elms, Roughmoor, Sparcells, Westmead and most of Peatmoor.

Andrew Snowden, the chairman of Shaw Residents’ Association, said the key issue for these communities was the proposed development, just over the local authority border, at Ridgeway Farm, Purton.

The plan was rejected by Wiltshire Council in February, but developer Taylor Wimpey appealed the decision, on the basis that the authority did not rule on it within the legal time limit, and an eight-day planning inquiry will start in Chippenham on May 9.

Mr Snowden said residents wanted the new councillors to object to the plans and to work with MPs to influence the planning of housing developments.

“Some people don’t want that green area built on but there’s a significant concern over infrastructure,” said Mr Snowden, of Nine Elms.

“Roads such as Mead Way and Swinley Drive are very likely to get massive increases in traffic. Mead Way is always heavily congested without having a lot of new houses, because it is one of the main routes into Swindon.”

On a separate topic, he wanted to know what could be done about the high cost of public liability insurance, which he said was a barrier to the association and other voluntary groups helping out more in the community.

Richard Symonds, of The Bramptons, Shaw, said he would like the new councillors to keep the residents informed over the Ridgeway Farm plans.

He said: “It’s going to affect us terribly for the simple reason that the traffic infrastructure just can’t take it. We’ve got major traffic issues in both directions on Mead Way, so more homes there is going to make a difference.”

Claire Kamm, a youth worker for the Emerge Youth Project, based at Holy Trinity Church, in Shaw, said she would like the new councillors to secure more council funding for the project.

She said the council had only given it £500 in the last four years.

“We need £19,000 to £20,000 a year to run the project so funding is a big thing we need,” she said.

“We get some funding from local companies like Npower and Zurich but funding is a big issue.”

Colin Butcher, 63, of Edgeworth Close, Shaw, said he wanted Swindon Council to lay footpaths along Mead Way and Thamesdown Drive to create a safer and more direct route into town.

“People have got to go off the main road and on to these windy paths in and around bushes. And for women walking on their own, it’s just not on,” he said.

Mr Butcher said he would also like bus services to be improved between Shaw and Swindon.