A PLEA has been made for a major housing development near Swindon to be rejected.

Councillors believe major work on upgrading the infrastructure must be carried out before building begins in East Swindon.

Wanborough Parish Council has lodged a formal objection to proposals to build 2,380 homes close to South Marston, known as the Rowborough Development.

It is located just north of the A420, the main route from Oxford into Swindon, which already suffers from heavy congestion during rush hour.

The parish council believes that adding these houses, along with several thousand on the Oxford side of the border, will create pressure on the road network and lead to chaos elsewhere.

They, along with other members of the Western Vale Villages, commissioned an independent transport assessment of the proposal.

The report, carried out by Bob Hindhaugh Associates, concluded that: “There will be fundamental failings for a number of years if this development obtains permission.”

The Highways Agency has also implemented a Direction of Non-approval for six months until further information is gained on the site’s Transport Assessment.

 

 

Gary Sumner, chairman of the Wanborough Parish Council, said: “We are not against houses being built.

“We understand that we need growth and development and somewhere for our children but it is important that everything is done properly.

“The A420 and A419 are already close to capactity and we see what happens whenever a small part of the network goes wrong.

“The accident on the M4 last week saw traffic backing up to Blunsdon and the A420.

“Drivers who are looking to avoid the main junction then try and use the B4570 through Bishopstone and Wanborough as a rat-run so traffic backs up through the villages.”

As well as Rowborough, an Enviromental Impact Assessment is being carried out at Lotmead to see if it is suitable for 3,000 homes.

These are both speculative developments which are not part of the proposed Local Plan.

Mr Sumner wants the council to reject them both so the necessary infrastructure can be put in place.

He said: “If these developments go ahead then that will be three quarters of the houses proposed built before any infrastructure is put in place.

“We have seen what has happened in North Swindon when things are not done properly.”