A formal proposal to build an estate of 38 houses on the northern edge of the town has been put forward.

Developer Hortus Living announced it was thinking of building 28 houses and 11 flats to the very high ecological Passivhaus standard on a patch of  land tucked into the sharp southward bend of Tadpole Lane, just to the north of the Diamond Jubilee Park.

Having got the responses of members of the public the developer has now put in a full formal application to planners at Swindon Borough Council.

It says: “We seek to bring forward 38 much-needed homes, designed to Passivhaus standards to deliver low energy demand, lower carbon emissions, promote health and wellbeing and lower energy bills.

"The plans are centred around the concept of allotment living and will deliver generous community allotments, associated public open space, natural play areas, orchards and wildlife zones.”

The site is currently green land with no public access. The developer says building the homes on it will allow better connectivity of new and existing developments: “The proposed layout establishes new connections through the Tadpole Lane site which will help link Abbey Farm and the other emerging developments north of Tadpole Lane south through to Diamond Jubilee Park and the local amenities beyond."

Drawings show an apartment block in the northwest of the rectangular site, with houses arranged in short terraces with a road looping around the site and communal green spaces and paths in the centre of the plot. Trees and greenery feature in the public open space as the south of the site.

Access would be towards the eastern part of the site, opposite Topaz Close, north of Tadpole Lane.

Three residents have so far written to planners to object to the proposals with fear about increased traffic on the road being pro9minent among their reasons

One said: “We are very concerned about the increased traffic on Tadpole Lane that this new development will cause (it’s called a lane not a road for a reason).

"The lane is already not fit-for-purpose with numerous potholes, sharp bends and speeding traffic not sticking to the 30mph limit - having an entrance onto this lane will increase the risk of accidents.

Comments can be made on the application using the reference S/24/0106 on swindon.gov.uk. The deadline is Friday March 1.