THE Conservatives’ wafer-thin majority on Swindon Council is set to undergo its first test with a motion against plans to build nearly 250 homes on green space in Gorse Hill.

Haboakus aims to build 241 homes, including 106 affordable houses, on the former allotment site Pickards Small Field and the Kembrey Grass open space.

Cabinet has agreed to dispose of the land to the developer, subject to several conditions being met, including the £30m scheme receiving planning permission, although residents and opposition parties have voiced concerns.

Before last week’s election, when the Conservatives had a healthy majority, a Labour bid to force Cabinet to reconsider was voted down, but the Tories now have a majority of just one.

Labour has submitted a motion, backed by the Lib Dems, asking the council to agree that “it does not support the disposal of public land at Pickards Small Field and Kembrey Grass Field and wishes this land to remain as open space”.

The motion also asks council to recommend Cabinet request local councillors consult residents on the future of the site and report back to Cabinet prior to disposal.

If the administration wants to be sure of defeating the motion, all Tory members will have to turn up and vote at the afternoon full council meeting on Friday. The Labour and Lib Dem groups are whipping their members to attend. The mayor, set to be Coun Mick Bray (Con, Lydiard and Freshbrook), holds the casting vote in a tie.

Coun Jim Grant, the Labour group leader, said: “We would have liked to have put forward a motion to reverse the selling off of public open space in Gorse Hill to developers.

“However apparently it is unlawful for full council to reverse a policy of the administration. So this motion is a compromise solution to ensure residents are meaningfully consulted before any sell-off of public land.”

Coun Stan Pajak, Lib Dem group leader, said they were supporting the motion as they made election issues of protecting green spaces and having adequate consultation.

He added: “It’s a numbers game now and every decision like this will be a numbers game. And this full council meeting is unusual, particularly as it takes place during the day, with the question of whether people can turn up. Some people take a holiday directly after the election. For the last few years that hasn’t been important, but now it is.”

Coun Nick Martin, chair of Swindon Conservative Association, said: “It’s a subject which the leader and the Cabinet will have to think deeply upon as to whether they want to make it a trial of strength.

“Because it’s not a Conservative ward, it’s not going to make any money for the borough if it goes ahead. But if the Labour Party and the Liberals don’t want to enable investment in homes for people who are less fortunate than themselves, it’s rather hard for us to tell them we’re going to force them to do the right thing in their own ward.”