MORE details on a controversial housing development at the former Headlands School site have been released.
Permission has already been given for housing at the site but the layout of the development, which will see 150 homes built, has recently been submitted and will go before the planning committee later this year.
Objections have been raised on the grounds of insufficient parking and the effect it will have on the local road network.
Stratton Parish Council has made a formal request for the application to go before full planning committee.
It says that the design has a “woeful lack of parking” for a proposal of that size.
In its submission the council also says: “The proposed development by reason of its size, depth, width, height and massing would have an unacceptably adverse impact on the amenities of the properties immediately adjacent to the site and the surrounding area by reason of overlooking, loss of privacy and visually overbearing impact.”
Among those against the housing plan is Mark Hows, the chairman of Esprit Gymnastics. He wants the developers to re-think the whole layout.
If given the go-ahead, the development will force Esprit Gym and the teams using the football pitch to share a car park, which Mark has said is not practical given the amount of people who go to the gym club.
He said: “We have always known that the land was set aside for housing. I just don’t think they’ve put enough thought into it.
“There are not enough car parking spaces for the football pitch so they will use ours. We have 2,500 people who use Esprit so it will be chaos.”
He added: “I’ve looked at the plans and while some houses have two spaces, most have only one. These days most families have two cars so they’re just going to go on the roads as there are only 16 visitor spaces.
“All of the traffic enters and exits the development one way, which is going to cause chaos. We all know how bad Cricklade Road gets, so adding all this extra traffic will only make the matter worse.”
The land was owned by the council, who sold it to Bellway Homes following a bidding process last year.
The council was obliged to pick the company because it was the highest bidder.
Members of the public who live near the proposed development are able to see the plans and comment by visiting the council’s planning portal at www.swindon.gov.uk.
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