Concerns about the effect a major new housing estate would have on contaminated land, traffic chaos, and wildlife persist despite the developer’s hopes of reassuring residents.

Dozens of responses from neighbours, residents and other concerned parties have already been submitted within days of One Swindon Limited and Turley putting forward a revised proposal for the Newburn Sidings scheme.

The scheme now includes 262 residential dwellings and 142 square metres for other uses.

The applicant made significant changes to the scheme after numerous meetings with Swindon Borough Council and was confident that this new version would address all the issues previously raised.

READ MORE: Revised plans submitted for Newburn Sidings homes in Swindon

Graham Woodward, of the Residents Association for Westcott Area K, argues that the plans still go against a SHELAA report the council used when identifying potential areas for housing.

It stated that the Newburn Sidings area was not a suitable site due to the toxins in the ground.

It is also feared that the hundreds of new extra residents would add too much traffic to an area that already sees heavy congestion at peak times, that their proposed access routes to Wootton Bassett Road and Park Lane were “dangerous”, and that construction would ruin wildlife habitats.

Mr Woodward added: “The highly contaminated asbestos land is extremely close to residents properties in Dean Street and Newburn Crescent. Local residents have now been fighting this possible proposed death sentence that has been hanging over their heads for the last four years.

“The biodiversity and wildlife habitat at the site would be eradicated. Extra vehicles would be allowed to flow into an already congested traffic area from the Mannington Roundabout pinch point.

“The property developer is making a great claim now that the proposal has been greatly improved by lowering the number of dwellings to 262. However, the original number of nearly 400 was utterly ridiculous.

"There are other brownfield sites within the borough that would be very much more suitable for these aspirations to be fulfilled without all of the obvious drawbacks that make the Newburn Sidings site unsuitable, unfeasible, and quite likely uneconomical.

“Was the applicant told about the many dangers that the site represented and informed at the time about the SHELAA report and its red line for the site but chose to ignore its findings anyway?”

Many neighbours are particularly concerned about the increased pressure on traffic and local services, while some have more mixed feelings.

Becky Cox, of Kingshill, wrote: "I am generally supportive of this development being situated in a sustainable location, close to local facilities and options for non-car based transport links.

"I am however concerned about the details of the junctions at either end of the cycle path connection."

A few used a template letter issued by the residents association which repeats fears about disturbing the asbestos and metal toxins on the sidings that could send dangerous particles into the air, causing health problems like mesothelioma for nearby neighbours.

The template reads: “Many railway workers died of asbestosis and continue to do so up until this very day (The Swindon disease) and thus it is with good cause that we oppose the disturbance of the material as it is so very near to existing resident’s properties and is a certain lethal threat.”

Politicians have also voiced their views about the plans.

South Swindon MP, Robert Buckland MP objected: “I share the concerns of local residents on the grounds of overdevelopment, traffic issues in the area, air pollution, flooding and poor drainage, and the loss of habitat to local wildlife, including endangered species.”

Cllr Adorabelle Amaral-Shaikh added: “There is a known history of this site, its impact on the area is already known and documented, plus to add to the impact on wildlife and pollution."