The impact of a new church which will be able to accommodate at least 300 worshippers in an area of Swindon already seeing rapid development is not thrilling neighbours.

Although some are rather philosophically resigned to the place of worship being given the go-ahead.

The Plymouth Brethren Church has applied for permission to build a new church on green land off Broad Bush, almost directly opposite the houses in Beech Lea.

Members of Swindon Borough Council’s planning committee will debate and vote on the application for the place of worship on Tuesday February 14, and the report to the committee from planning officers recommends the proposal for approval despite significant local opposition.

With the traffic along Broad Bush already disrupted by the traffic for two new housing development being put very nearby, local people are not looking forward to the church being approved- should that be the decision.

Margaret Dixon said: “Look at the traffic here now. It’s been bad for years at the Coldharbour junction and these new housing developments and this church will just make it worse.

“It feels like Blunsdon is being targeted because it’s still like a village and still very green, but it’s right on the edge of Swindon. Every spare bit of space seems to have a planning application on it.”

Others are slightly more sanguine. One resident said: “At the end of the day any land is able to be built on, isn’t it? I don’t think anybody is very happy about it, but we’ll see what happens.”

Another Blunsdon villager Thomas Field said: “This is a really big church - it’s going to be huge. The land where they want to build it is meant to be protected to keep Blunsdon separate from Swindon but it’s all being eaten away bit by bit.

“This will just add to the problems on the road which isn’t really big enough for the traffic being generated for it now.”

This is the second such application to build a church on the site. The first, which included a care home for 60 people was withdrawn, and the additional proposal to allow three plots for self-build houses in the current application was also removed.

As well as the nearby housing work, the land at the site itself is being dug up at the moment as Severn Trent replaces a major water pipe.

The committee meeting will begin at 6pm on Tuesday, February 14 at the Civic Offices in Euclid Street. Members of the public are able to attend.