A linear mound of earth reaching a height of nearly 20 feet and stretching for scores of metres along the northern border of the M4 near Swindon has been given approval.

The huge earthworks known as The Orchards noise bund is the last piece of the protection measure to be constructed to shield houses in the Wichelstowe expansion project.

The proposed bund runs to the east of a pedestrian bridge crossing the motorway, along the southern edge of the development area adjacent to the motorway. The material used to construct the bund is proposed to be sourced from the development of housing and infrastructure in West Wichel.

The bund will be mostly six metres in height when complete and approximately 39 metres in width with steeply-sloped sides. The eastern part of the bund will be four metres in height with a two-metre acoustic barrier on its crest, reaching a combined height of six metres above existing ground level.

The Swindon and North Weast Ramblers wrote to planners saying a footpath, di to be diverted so it can upgraded to a bridleway, runs very close to the bund and they want to ensure the bund does not get in the way of the new right of way.

A flood tunnel will run through the earthworks and it will be planted with trees to give extra screening and bind the soil.