Housing giant appealing against plan’s rejection

The proposal for a new housing estate at the Ridgeway Farm site, close to Purton, has been brought to a planning appeal by developer Taylor Wimpey after Wiltshire Council firmly rejected the plans earlier this year.

The housing giant believes that the local authority did not rule on their planning application within the legal time limit and are appealing against the refusal.

The Shaw Residents’ Association have been drumming up opposition to thwart the appeal since news of it was announced.

A statement on the organisation’s website says: “The Shaw Residents’ Association believes there are two fundamental reasons not to approve the planning application for Ridgeway Farm.First, it is not a sustainable development. The development will rely on outside facilities, most of which are not in walking distance, resulting in increased traffic congestion.

“Second, it would be undemocratic. All locally elected representatives in both Swindon and Wiltshire have publicly voiced their opposition to the proposal and over 1,000 local residents in both Swindon and adjacent Wiltshire towns have written to Wiltshire Council to object.”

The planning appeal will begin today and is likely to last a week.

It will be heard at the Wiltshire Council offices in Monkton Park, Chippenham.

Among those who have objected to the proposal are councillors Keith Williams (Con, Shaw and Nine Elms) and Nick Martin (Con, Shaw and Nine Elms).

Coun Williams said: “The people at Ridgeway Farm will be using Swindon’s infrastructure – our roads, our schools, our doctors’ surgeries – but paying council tax to Wiltshire Council. To us, that is not fair.”

Coun Martin added: “They want to do it on the cheap, bung us a primary school and use all the utilities and roads in west Swindon.”

Taylor Wimpey refused to comment when asked by the Adver about the opposition to the plans at the site. For more information on group’s opposition bid, visit www.shawresidents.org.uk.