NEW aerial footage has been shot revealing the scale of progress on the huge Wichelstowe housing development.

One of the largest local authority joint venture agreements in the country the project is intended to create 3,000 homes along with community facilities and schools over two decades.

The 600-acre site is set to include open spaces, nature conservation areas, playing pitches and allotments as well as an electric vehicle charging network.

It is being built by Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes in partnership with Swindon Borough Council

Cabinet member for strategic infrastructure and transport Gary Sumner said: “It’s a popular place for people to live with the primary and secondary school doing well – people are keen to live in Wichelstowe.”

“There is incredible demand and people like buying in places where there are already great facilities in place. There is already the Hall and Woodhouse pub overlooking the canal and with the certainty of the follow-up of a GP’s practice - it will be a very popular area.”

Finishing touches being made to some of the new apartment buildings at Canalside, the first phase of the development, where the first residents moved in last summer. It will feature 208 one, two, three and four-bedroom new homes when complete. A new supermarket, secondary school and pub are already open on site.

The first in a series of new planning applications for future phases is expected to be considered later this month. Detailed applications outlining plans for 476 new homes at Wichel Fields were submitted to the council at the end of last year.

Coun Sumner added: “The new application has been put in for a further phases on the other side of Waitrose on West Wichelstowe with designs submitted for the public and council to view.

“Wichelstowe is very close to the working routes of the town and near the motorway. It’s a very good development and we want to see it succeed as there are many thousands of houses on new land.”

New data shows that 75 of the 114 home sales at Canalside so far have used the Government’s Help to Buy scheme.

Louise Ware, sales director at David Wilson Homes’ South West division, said: “It’s wonderful to see the new homes at Wichelstowe taking shape, paving the way for the growth of this exciting new community for Swindon. This is a hugely significant development for the town, which provides much-needed, high quality new homes with large areas of green, open space and all the essentials on your doorstep.”

Andrea Pilgrim, sales director at Barratt Homes’ Bristol division, which covers Swindon, said: “Wichelstowe is emerging as a fantastic new neighbourhood for people from all walks of life, whether first time buyers, young professionals, families or downsizers. New residents benefit from all that this new community has to offer, including the newly restored canal, nature conservation areas, playing fields and allotments - all of which feel more important than ever.”

Ecological measures will include hundreds of new trees, new ponds, wildflower grassland to attract a range of pollinators along with broader wildlife habitat creation and protection, such as the creation of sheltered areas for hibernating animals.