Plans are afoot to build another 400 houses on the edge of Swindon.

Copperfield Land & Planning, a Bristol-based land promoter rather than a housebuilder, has asked Swindon Borough Council whether it has to provide an environmental impact assessment for the construction of up to 410 houses on land on the northeast edge of the existing Tadpole Garden Village.

The company calls the development north of Tadpole Lane and filling in green space between Tadpole Garden Village and St Andrews “Tadpole 2”.

Such EIA screening opinions are a reliable precursor to a full application for large developments but contain the barest details possible about the scheme.

The land promoter says of the plan: "The proposals would be well connected to existing communities and local amenities, including education, convenience shopping and leisure.

"The integration with such community assets and bus services would help reduce the external vehicular trip generation of the proposals.”

It adds: “The proposals would introduce a new residential population to the area but in the context of already identified housing need, the change is negligible.”

Swindon Borough Council planners told the company it did need to provide an environmental impact assessment.

It will most likely be part of a bid for outline consent with details of design and layout to follow.