ANOTHER green field to the south of Highworth is being eyed up by developers.

Hares has put in an application to build 45 houses which would fill in the gap between one development on Shrivenham Road, which is already being built, and another off Swindon Road, which has been given planning permission.

If given consent by Swindon Borough Council the new estate would be part of a broad swathe of houses creating a new southern suburb of Highworth proper. It would use the development planned by Backhouse Homes for access from the main road.

The application by Chichester-based Hares, run by architect David Hares, says: “Construction of housing on this infill site would create a logical attractive settlement edge to the town

“ The site is within walking and cycling distance of the High Street, which provides a range of facilities. Both the primary and secondary schools are in close proximity.

“The phase one access is from Swindon Road, where there is a regular bus route to the town and the major employment centre of Swindon. The site is therefore considered to be a sustainable location.”

The company says the rhomboidal field, edged to the west by trees and with a small copse in the south-eastern corner, is not particularly valuable ecologically.

It said: "A phase one habitat survey which describes the various natural habitats and features found on the site concluded no habitats of any real intrinsic nature conservation value will be impacted.

"The young tree plantation and hedgerows were considered to be the habitats of most conservation value within the site boundary. These relatively young habitats should be retained and provide good opportunities for enhancing the biodiversity of the area.”

Although the application is for outline permission – and so just seeks consent for the principle of housing, with details to be supplied and still to be approved – Hares provides an indicative layout plan of the site.

It shows the trees and hedgerow to the west and the copse to be kept, with the latter used for informal play, and paths linking to the Paddock estate to the east.

It shows two accesses from the housing estate to be built to the west, off Swindon Road, with most of the houses arranged in a rectangle around a central square which will feature orchard trees.

The plan says there would be 19 three-bed semi-detached houses and three four-bed semis, along with 19 four-bedroom detached and four five-bed executive homes.

Thirteen of the houses would be offered at affordable rents.

The plans can be viewed on swindon.gov.uk using the reference S/OUT/20/0724 and comments should be made by July 30.