Plans for another 275 houses to be built on the edge of Swindon as part of the borough’s expansion have been published.
Developer Hannick Homes has applied for outline planning permission to build on agricultural land to the north east of Wanborough Road as part of the New Eastern Villages project.
The plot actually abuts Wanborough Road at the site of some abandoned and broken old agricultural buildings just next door to Poplars day care nursery, but according to Hannick Homes plans there will be no road access to the new homes from the road, apart from very small access to any houses built on the very site of the farm buildings.
Instead, as work on the South Connector Road is visible from the gate to the site, the proposals show houses could be built on either side of the new road which will run from the expanded centre of South Marston village to the Commonhead roundabout.
Hannick Homes’ application says: “The proposed development will form the southern extent of the new ‘village’ of Lotmead, and the site shares its northern boundary with Land at Lotmead Farm which has received outline planning permission.”
The masterplan diagram submitted shows a group of houses separated from Wanborough Road by green space, but just off the Southern Access Road.
The bulk of the buildings will be north of the access road with some adjoining to the site of the rest of Lotmead village and the north-eastern reaches of the site are shown to be a landscaped green space with paths and trees.
As is befitting with a low-lying and somewhat marshy area, there are a number of ponds included in the layout designed to alleviate possible flooding.
Hannick Homes says: “As the development moves east the broad areas of development land increase in size – the development steps from the rural setting of Wanborough Road and the heritage assets in this area to deliver a form and density of development more in keeping with the wider NEV, at the very eastern edge the site then transitions back to interface with areas of the open space network."
The application as lodged is for outline planning permission. If it is granted then Hannick Homes will have to return with another application setting out details of the design and layout of the streets and houses and green spaces which must be approved before work can begin in earnest.
The plans are available on the Swindon council planning portal, using the reference S/OUT/23/0456.
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