Details have emerged of how more than 130 houses to be built on the edge of Swindon will look and be set out

Vistry Homes Ltd already has outline permission for the development of 137 houses as part of the growth of South Marston and Rowborough – but it must now get permission for the details of their appearance and lay out.

The site to be used for the houses is bounded to the north east by Old Vicarage Lane, and is south of the existing South Marston centre, and is part of the expansion of the area under the New Eastern Villages programme.

The plans show a largely rectangular plot separated by the main road which runs parallel to Old Vicarage Lane and joins this development  to others to be built to the north of it.

To the north east are two rows of houses with their rear gardens backing on to each other, one row of houses fronts Old Vicarage Lane and the other the new road.

South of the main road, there are six blocks of housing separated by minor roads, of varying sizes. In the north of the site is a triangle of green land which will be open green space and woodland.

Vistry Homes says of the estate: “Our design will provide a sensitive response to the Old Vicarage Lane boundary and its location on the edge of South Marston by reflecting and respecting the local context.

“The layout has been designed to create a high-quality and attractive residential environment and sensitive townscape.

The built form represents a more traditional, lower-scale development. The largest dwellings are located in areas defined as being suitable for key focal buildings. These buildings and buildings on vistas also provide additional architectural detailing. We have used large, detached dwellings on focal corners.

The Parkland Edge and Old Vicarage Lane boundary treatments are soft and in keeping with their positions on existing retained hedgerows or public open space. “Existing hedgerow and tree planting will be retained and enhanced along boundaries.”

It concludes: “The residential development will make a positive and attractive contribution to the character of the wider development.

“Careful consideration of connections, block structure, street hierarchy and exciting proposed green public and private open spaces will create a development with a strong character and sense of place.”

Open green space, a community orchard and children’s play park are allocated space outside, but right next to, the boundary of the application site.

Vistry Homes says these areas inform the nature of the site, but a separate application on the details of those facilities will come later, as they are not inside the boundary of the current application.