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A hair-brained scheme

In reference to the Aled Thomas article ‘First Glimpse of Plan for 368 Homes by the Railway Line’ (SA, December 12), local residents of the Dean Street area received letters in reference to the proposed scheme dated 5th December, which I suggest was more by design than accident with its timing being undoubtedly the busiest period for local residents in the run up to Christmas, and not withstanding a General election happening at the same time.

What better way to try and deflect attention away from the proposed hair brained scheme?

The article starts off by stating that and I quote ‘A long anticipated Plan for nearly 400 homes on Land running along the Railway Lines in the centre of Swindon will soon be submitted for approval’.

Long anticipated is it, but just by who I would ask as a local resident that was in receipt of one of the letters, and I suspect certainly not by local residents of area ‘K’ and especially those of Dean Street and Newburn Crescent.

A similarly proposed scheme was mooted in the past by the previous owner of the land, which incidentally was stolen from Network Rail, and hence the tax payer, for a song on the instructions of the government.

However there were so many insurmountable problems to overcome that the land in question was sold on, and now we have Turley’s trying their hardest to make a silk purse out of a sows ear, with just one objective in mind which is to maximise their profit line.

Are there not many vacant properties currently in the town, including empty ex Network Rail building at Swindon Station that should be looked at utilising first, for housing needs?

Not least is the current problem in the Rodbourne Road, Park Lane of serious outlet visitor traffic congestion of which Councillor Maureen Penny admits there is no easy answer to resolve.

So I would suggest that the last thing that we need is more housing attracting at least another 400 car owners in to the area. This is only one of the problems with the proposed scheme none of which Turley’s seem to have any resolution to, as quite possibly none do exist.

Both the Adver article, and the residents letter from Turley’s does not give the full information, however a search on the Swindon Borough Council website using just the single word of ‘Sidings’ brings up proposals for the scheme Ref. No: S/EIA/18/1141 under the heading Request for Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Screening Opinion for the proposed erection of up to 400 No. Residentail Units and Associated works.

I have submitted a long listing of objections to the scheme there and local residents may also like to have their say before it is too late to do so. Also comments can now be also directly submitted on to the Turley website at www.swindonsidings.co.uk or alternatively email the Associate Director at Andrea.Kellegher@turley.co.uk and also Peter.Lawson@turley.co.uk Director.

I would urge local residents to take a little time out of their Christmas preparations to have a look at the proposed scheme and make their comments before it is too late to do so, as these type of proposals by developers do not tend to stay open on the Swindon Borough Council website for very long, and so I suggest that urgency should be the watchword.

Graham Woodward, Nelson Street

Camera Club brings joy

May I once again thank you for printing, and the Camera Club for taking, the wonderful photos that we have so enjoyed this year. Please continue with the photographs. May I will you all a Happy Christmas and all good wishes for the New Year.

Mrs Beryl Stanley, The Lawns