HOUSING minister John Healey has said the completion of the Wichelstowe development could be a good push for Swindon to get a city status.

The development, which will include up to 4,500 new homes, three primary schools and a country park, was stalled due to the recession, but building work is now getting back on track.

Mr Healey paid a visit to the site yesterday with South Swindon MP Anne Snelgrove to have a look around two completed show homes and to talk about the £1.4 million government grant it is benefiting from.

Speaking from a designer sofa in the show room, he said: “Swindon is a confident town and has a need for new homes.

“The completion of this development would be a great future asset to the town and could help it in terms of a city status.

“It is also good to see in Swindon that the questions over the Regional Spatial Strategy have not held back the building of new homes that this area needs.

“Swindon has pulled itself through the recession and even at the worst times there was still building work here. Anne Snelgrove has fought hard to get social housing on this site and as much Government grants as she could.”

The Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) has been a bugbear for many people in Swindon who strongly disagree with the housing figure forecasts for the town and where they could be built around the town’s fringes.

Mr Healey said that the Government is considering all of the responses they have had on the RSS and are waiting for an outcome of a legal challenge brought in another area of the country concerning their future strategy.

The Wichelstowe development netted £1.4m from a Kickstart scheme pot of £450million for the entire country.

Mrs Snelgrove said: “I have been pleasantly surprised with this development and the standard it is being completed to.

“It comprises of an excellent mix of some social housing and some private.

“I have been to the new site for the primary school and I am absolutely delighted that there will be a new school in my ward as that was something which was hanging in the balance for a while.

“I think this will be the final push we might need for a city status as it will be a great addition to the town.”