FOUR years of work on a Neighbourhood Plan was dubbed pointless when Highworth town councillors quizzed the borough on its proposals to consider more sites for housing development.

They were angry that a transfer of land near the golf course from Swindon Borough Council to its private housing company had been given the go-ahead without them being consulted first. The company plans to build expensive housing on the plot to bring in revenue.

Coun Pauline Webster said: “It’s not within our neighbourhood plan. We spoke to Swindon about it not being suitable and the way we found out about this transfer was by reading it in the Adver.

“Why weren’t we consulted, and how is it going to go through planning fairly when Swindon is putting it through via its housing company?”

Gary Sumner, cabinet member for strategic planning, and planning policy manager Phil Smith were at the meeting to discuss Swindon’s Local Plan and assess sites submitted by landowners and developers for potential development.

But they found themselves under fire. Town councillor Alison Durrant told them: “We wrote our Neighbourhood Plan with a great deal of care and attention and it was accepted.”.

“Then we found that a developer has got planning permission for a very large site outside the plan.

“We are left wondering what is the point of our hard work when it’s ignored and you grant permission simply because Swindon has not supplied an adequate land supply? It seems to me that all this effort has been a pointless waste of time.”

Coun Sumner explained: “We’ve allocated some very large sites like New Eastern Villages and Wichelstowe with thousands of houses.

“Very little progress has been made on these sites and they take a lot of time to deliver. Swindon is now looking at sites which are deliverable in five years, with the help of local knowledge from parish councils.

“The sites that have been put forward by landowners and developers, which we’ve assessed, can come forward quickly and can improve communities by adding infrastructure. We’re asking you to take a positive look at the planning process.”

Around 350 to 400 sites around the borough have been longlisted.

Coun Durrant countered: “Expensive houses on Shrivenham Road will add nothing but extra traffic.”

Coun Sumner said: “Rather than planning by appeal, we hope that in looking at these sites as positively as possible, you ask how can they fit with your aspirations for a good neighbourhood.”

Tackled about the transfer of land for expensive houses he explained: “Planning committee members are supposed to be independent and not pre-judge applications.

“You can’t object just by saying ‘I don’t like it’ because that leads to planning by appeal, which isn’t what the housing company wants to do.

“If you have genuine objections about the site’s suitability or sustainability, they can be raised. The housing company has to be at arms length from Swindon council and is an independent developer.”

A draft of the new local plan will be drawn up for public consultation by next spring.