LOSS of green space, increased flood risk and more congestion were among the fears raised at the first public consultation on plans to build nearly 250 homes in Gorse Hill.

Haboakus plans to build 241 homes on the former allotment site, Pickards Small Field, and the open space known as Kembrey Grass, with a proposed main access off Cricklade Road.

Swindon Council has agreed to sell the land to the developer, subject to several conditions being met, including the £30m scheme receiving planning permission.

Scores of residents turned up to study the plans and quiz representatives of Haboakus at a consultation event at Gorse Hill School, in Avening Street, on Saturday.

Frank Edwards, 53, of Cricklade Road, placed cardboard signs at the entrance to the venue, bearing messages including ‘McCloud keep out of Swindon’ and ‘Keep Kembrey green’.

He said: “You cannot get up and down Cricklade Road as it is. You try and drive up and down it and unless you are in the middle of the night, it’s always full, so how are another 250 houses going to access it?”

Daphne Rudman, 58, of Hawthorn Avenue, Pinehurst, feared the development would increase flooding and remove open space for children.

“I’m dead against it. Yes, we do need housing, but why take the green space? Pinehurst is a bit of a problem area anyway,” said the mother-of-five.

“There’s nothing for children to do and they like to play on the green spaces and go off and do their own thing. With all these houses, they aren’t going to be able to do that, they will be confined to what we call the Vennie.”

Coun Rochelle Russell (Lab, Gorse Hill and Pinehurst) said ward councillors would still oppose the plans, drawing their mandate from a 470-signature petition against the project.

“There’s a large groundswell of opinion against the development. We feel it’s being rushed,” she said.

Simon McWhirter, project director for Haboakus, said the development would bring more than £1m of investment in the parkland and facilities, more affordable homes, and extra jobs and training opportunities.

He said that Crickade Road was the main proposed access, but that idea had to go through an independent transport assessment, as well as further consultation with the council and residents to ensure it can take the extra traffic. He said Haboakus would try to reduce car usage, including through the installation in all homes of an electronic device displaying real-time bus information.

Mr McWhirter said measures would be put in place to mitigate the possible flood risk and alleviate the existing problem, adding that a flood risk assessment would be submitted with the planning application.

On the issue of green space, he said Haboakus would improve the landscaping of the park and put in new facilities so more people could use the area.

The next event is a consultation for families at Gorse Hill Children’s Centre, in Avening Street, on March 22, from 10am to noon.