The Wichelstowe planning team revealed plans for 600 more homes as it detailed the next steps for the ongoing development of the area in the new year. 

More work will also be done to the estate’s roads, infrastructure and canal to make the area suitable for the additional houses. 

While this is seen by many as a positive next step in the development of one of Swindon’s newest estates, many Adver readers feel it is indicative of a growing problem in the town – that there are too many houses being built and not enough is being done to support the influx of people who would live in them.

Many of them were particularly concerned about the Great Western Hospital, which already struggles to deal with the population as it is – something CEO Kevin McNamara admitted during his year-end address. 

Here’s what Adver readers had to say on Facebook...

Andrew Little: "This is getting behind a joke now, no more flipping houses. Yet more strain on GWH. The expansion being planned for GWH won’t touch the sides. What difference will an extra 80 beds make, a larger A&E might help a little bit.”

Andrew James: “The issue is not here as this has been years and years in the making. The issue is with all that has been dumped between that approval and now.”

Daniel Adams: “The site is getting several new primary schools, a new secondary school, space for a doctors, hundreds of millions being spent on new roads on that side of town and the hospital is being expanded. What more public facilities are required?”

Bebe Read: “They need to concentrate on what they've already built! The original East Wichel site is still not finished, has a leaking canal and the roads have still not been adopted. The estate is 10-plus years old and no-one is taking any responsibility for finishing it properly.”

Louisa Giddings: “Finally getting this finished after god knows how many years.”
Helen Scanlon: “So will that include a new hospital? GWH can’t cope now let alone with 600 new houses.”

Alex Collins: “The next phase will be to build 100 homes on the central reservation of the M4.”

Stephanie Moore: “The only thing that’s truly annoyed met when I come back to visit is that my childhood is all gone. Every last field we used to run around in is gone.”

Paul White: “More green space, trees and hedgerows going. Let’s all save the planet or perhaps end up with a concrete jungle."

Di Dave Jenkins: “I’ve said it before, Swindon is just a huge housing estate and car park, now going to get even bigger. Hope they build the infrastructure to accommodate all these homes, we will see.”

Mel McFadden: “This will continue until people stand up and fight for the countryside, our hospital and all the utilities and services needed to supply and look after all the additional people.

"The infrastructure isn’t there. We’re losing so much of what we have.

“Our children and grandchildren will be the ones who suffer in the long term. We’re supposed to be doing more to save the planet not destroy it.”

Sonia Adameke: “Soon it would look like Badbury Park. It’s not only the expansion GWH lacks, it lacks enough quality trained staff, equipment etc.

“Conservatives are truly depreciating the economy all round.

“House prices are currently through the roof and the demand for Swindon homes is not majorly from Swindon residents as it is truly unaffordable to most residents. A majority of people driving up the prices are moving over from London."