Traffic and wildlife were two of the main concerns expressed by people who live near a proposed development of nearly 400 homes in the centre of town.

Developer One Swindon and its agents Turley had called a public session to allow neighbours to look at plans to build houses and flats along the southern edge of the railway track between Park Lane and Wootton Bassett Road.

The plans show that cars will only be able to access the development from the western end off Wootton Bassett Road, where the junction , already a three-way intersection with Redpost Drive will have an exit from the sidings.

Lucy and Steven Brooks live in Dean Street bordering the eastern end of the site. Lucy said: "We're worried about even more traffic. It's really bad at the Rodbourne end in Park Lane and Rodbourne Road with all the Designer Outlet traffic.

"Having even more cars in the area is very worrying."

Steven said: "We have seen ineffectual measures taken at the Rodbourne end that don't make things any better.

"The idea that you can just put a four-way light-controlled junction for the traffic from this site and do nothing else about it, just one small thing, seems crazy."

Another visitor to the exhibition, Marjory Dawson said: "The traffic at Mannington Roundabout on Wootton Bassett Road, and leading up to the junction is always really bad. It's not just rush hour in the morning and evening, it can be at a standstill in the middle of the afternoon.

"Nearly 400 houses means four hundred cars at least. It's going to make this problems worse. That's my concern, not so much the houses."

The railway sidings, with the embankment planted with trees, are a habitat well used by wildlife, with deer, badgers, slow worms and even otters spotted there.

Richard Parry said: "Something needs to be done to make sure all the wildlife has another place to go. It's an important habitat - and it's good for everyone to have wildlife like that right in the middle of town."

Peter Norton, a director of Turley was at the exhibition in Swindon West End Bowls Club.

He said: "We've genuinely had a mixed response, both here and online in response to our website.

"A lot of people are quite supportive of using the land for housing, and we think it's a creative use of an otherwise-unused brownfield site.

"But many people are concerned about things like traffic and the wildlife, and technical issues like that. We are working on the challenges brought by the constraints of the site."

A formal planning application has not been lodged with the borough council yet, but is expected in the new year.

One Swindon's plans and designs can be seen and commented on at swindonsidings.co.uk