Revised plans have been submitted for controversial plans to build hundreds of homes near the railway line in Rodbourne.

Since Developer One Swindon first lodged an application to add 368 flats and houses to brownfield land between Rodbourne Road and Wootton Bassett Road in January 2021, many nearby neighbours have raised concerns about potential flood risks and the contaminated land that would be built on.

Earlier this month, the applicant submitted heavily altered versions of the proposal which it hopes will reassure residents and allay fears of flooding and environmental harm.

Now, outline planning permission is being sought for up to 262 residential dwellings - a mixture of family-sized homes and apartments - and 142 square metres of other uses such as a possible convenience store or a cycle hub/café, along with 332 car parking spaces and 551 cycle spaces.

A Turley spokesperson said the design of the scheme had “evolved significantly” in response to local feedback and discussions with Swindon Borough Council in 2022, 2023, and early 2024 to sort out potential problems.

The spokesperson added: “As a result of this extensive engagement, updated parameter plans were submitted in draft to SBC in February 2024.

"On March 7, 2024, SBC subsequently confirmed that: Further evolution of design of landscape treatments is required with the updated submission, layout and urban design is now much improved, [and] heritage impacts are reduced.

“As such, there was an agreement to move onto the next stage of formally submitting the revised proposals for formal consultation and consideration.

“Careful consideration has been given to the impact of the new dwellings on immediately adjacent properties.”

The site would be split up into five linked areas: the Wootton Bassett Gateway near Wootton Bassett Road, River View Apartments in three six-storey buildings near the railway line with green areas and cycle routes along the railway line, Newburn Square/Mid Way in the centre of the site with a balancing pond and large open green space, and a landscaping scheme that provides extra ecological habitats for plant and wildlife, Railway Village coach houses and terraces, and the Park Lane Gateway with the retail unit, The Works apartments and Park Square town square.

The taller buildings have been positioned at the far western end of the site in order to reduce the visual impact on the nearby conservation areas while providing ‘gateway’ buildings, and the low-rise houses are positioned adjacent to the existing residential area to match the existing scale of the context.

The elevated level of the site in relation to the adjacent streets has also been carefully considered when assessing storey heights and adjacency.

The site currently comprises brownfield land which is contaminated. The proposed redevelopment of the site would result in the implementation of an agreed remediation strategy to make the ground safe.

Turley argues that the proposed enhancements to the area will support the existing biodiversity, provide new habitats for birds, bats, and amphibians, increase landscape connectivity, and protect areas of ecological value.

A spokesperson added: "The range of studies that have been undertaken to support this planning application demonstrate that a high-quality development will be achieved at the site, and that there are no environmental, technical or other reasons why planning permission should not be granted in this case."

Previously, locals have worried that the application threatens the quality of the River Ray and could impact the flood plain, that fast runoff could add to the flood potential, and that use of pooling from contaminated land could be disastrous for the water quality of the river.

Since these revised plans were published on the local authority's planning website under the reference S/OUT/21/0181 on May 14, several people have already submitted fresh reactions to the plans, which will be covered in a future article.