Was out walking locally today down Dayhouse Lane which runs alongside Coate Country Park; also the site of what remains of the Coate stone circle. Dayhouse Lane is a little bit of rural history as, apart from the stone circle, it is also often mentioned by writer Richard Jefferies.
Background:
Redrow and Persimmon Homes originally wanted to build 1,800 homes in the area but plans were refused at a planning appeal in 2009.
In May, developers submitted another application for up to 960 homes, a business park, local centre, school and extension to Great Western Hospital. Objections were received from residents and expert bodies, including the Environment Agency, Natural England and Wiltshire Wildlife Trust. A revised application has now been submitted with a 21 day consultation on the revised plans to start on Tuesday. The (Conservative) council will a decision in February or March.
swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/8763730.Fight_is_on_to_save_Coate_again/?ref=rss
Just edited the link on this item - now showing the current newspaper report (yesterday's issue of Swindon Advertiser).
Below is a copy of the letter my good friend Felicity from the Save Coate Coalition has sent to the Planning Office and all councillors. Bravo! Felicity. LETTER ABOUT PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT PLANS AT COATE To Ian Halsall, Planning Officer Wat Tyler House Beckhampton Street SWINDON, SN12JH Dear Mr Halsall, Revised Planning Application for Coate – Ref. No. S/10/0842 I have studied the recent revision in the Planning Application submitted by Redrow Homes and Persimmon Homes to develop countryside at Coate and Badbury Wick. The minor tinkering with the proposals has done absolutely nothing to allay my concern that this is an unacceptable development in its own right by virtue of the nature, scale, layout and location of the buildings. It will still set a precedent for infill houses and offices to be built on fields between the application area and Broome Manor. The majority of the business park is still on the Coate Water side of Dayhouse Lane, whilst some of the houses and the school also open out onto Dayhouse Lane. This is not a contained and isolated design that will discourage further growth. On being questioned about the revised planning application, Councillor Peter Greenhalgh was quoted in the Swindon Advertiser on New Year’s Eve as saying, “ This proposal is the best proposal that has been put forward for the general area. I think the development will protect the character of Coate Water and should prevent building between this land and Coate itself.” I cannot understand how the opening up of an area, that for decades has been protected from housing and office development, suddenly acts as a breaker for any further development? Clearly, it will have the exact opposite effect. The land owners of the fields around Coate have been waiting for years to have the opportunity to sell their land to developers, ever since the Science Park proposals over 25 years ago. Indeed, that building proposal was far less intrusive in the environment than the 2011 proposed scheme yet Swindon Council was opposed to it , as was the Secretary of State. Redrow and Persimmon Homes still have legal options to buy these fields if planning permission is granted. Swindon Borough Council has demonstrated excellently that it cannot be trusted to keep any promises. First, the Hospital (that was to be a one-off building complex for the area between Coate Water and A419/ M4); then the promise of “no university no housing”, and now the laughable statement from Councillor Greenhalgh (the senior cabinet Member for strategic planning) , who is clearly in favour of the latest plans! Over 52,000 people have expressed their concerns, and wish the see the countryside between Coate Water and the A419/M4 protected against further development. PLEASE LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE AND REFUSE PLANNING PERMISSION.