THE family behind a bid to build a bungalow in Old Town has hit back at criticism.

John McGhee, 81, wants to build a dormer bungalow on land he owns behind Goddard Avenue.

The former landscape gardener says the old builders’ yard may be sold off if he can’t get planning permission.

But councillors, borough conservation officers and some residents have been scathing.

John Somers, conservation officer, dismissed the designs as “unconvincing, contrived and confused”.

A line of garages would be knocked down, plans show. Parish councillors fear it could set a precedent for similar developments across south Swindon.

Mr McGhee’s daughter Connie Croker said: “Six garages refurbished and a builders’ yard is going to create more activity than a tranquil little bungalow.

“At the end of the day, it either gets a property on it or it becomes an up-and-running builders’ yard.

“We’ve got serious offers on this land from people who want to store vehicles.

“We had a convenience shop that wanted to store their vans here and put their vans on it.

“We don’t want to sell it as a builders’ yard and then a year down the road they get permission to put a house on it. How is that fair when my father’s worked for 40 years? It’s not fair.”

The new design had been drawn-up to fit in with the new two-storey homes built between Goddard Avenue and Town Gardens on Oxford Gardens.

And Mrs Croker said the bungalow, which her father intended to live in, would help tackle problems with fly-tipping on the former builders’ yard and back alley.

She said: “It would be eradicated, because there would be a lovely property in keeping with these new properties.”

Mrs Croker criticised comments from residents about the restricted alleyway access.

In letters lodged with the borough council’s planning department, some residents’ have raised concerns about the ability of the emergency services to get down the lane or the safety of children using the alley as a cut-through on their way to school.

“There are places around here that have got narrower access than this,” said Mrs Croker.

Plans show cars able to turn in the proposed house’s driveway.