THE council in charge of the parish surrounding the Honda plant has drafted contingency plans for when one of Swindon’s biggest employers closes in two years’ time.

The first draft neighbourhood plan for Stratton St Margaret foresaw the worst-case scenario of one of its biggest businesses leaving the area due to external circumstances. It was written before Honda announced that the car manufacturer’s Swindon plant will close in 2021.

The plan said: “Some of the largest landowners and operators are UK subsidiaries of international companies that could be affected by Brexit and international economic forces. It is conceivable that these large sites may become available in the future should macroeconomic forces render UK locations uncompetitive.

“These very large enterprises in Stratton St Margaret stimulate the Swindon economy and are serviced by a range of local suppliers and offer jobs to local people. As such, they have a key part to play in Stratton St Margaret’s prosperity. However, they also pose a risk.

“Should any of these companies determine that their Swindon operations were no longer required, their sites may become surplus to requirement and may ultimately become large brownfield sites that require redevelopment.”

The Honda plant is on track to become a large brownfield site after the company makes thousands of workers redundant and leaves the town after more than 30 years.

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No policies for future redevelopments are contained in Stratton’s plan because all the sites mentioned in it are currently occupied, so the parish plans to adopt a flexible approach with future developers, whoever they may be, and the borough council.

It sets out a step-by-step guide for developers who would wish to add a new development to the site after Honda leaves, which includes “regular and robust” meetings with the parish, encourages opportunities for the community to offer feedback on the proposals, and implores developers to give explanations of how the impact on the area will be reduced and managed.

The plan is open for public consultation for residents to send in feedback about what changes should be made for the second draft. For more information, visit strattonstmargaret.gov.uk or the parish’s facebook page.