Justin Tomlinson MP met with the senior team who are preparing the Burcot Farm planning application, adjacent to Abbey Farm and Tadpole Garden Village.
The proposals are for:
🏡 410 houses.
🌳 11 acres (47% of the development) of new green public spaces, generating a net gain in habitats and hedgerows.
👷 Infrastructure improvements including replacing the tight (dangerous) bend in Tadpole Lane.
🚴 Footpath and cycle links between the development and Abbey Farm and Tadpole Garden Village. These plans are expected to come to Swindon Borough Council’s planning department for consideration in the Summer.
Issues I raised at the meeting:
👷 Abbey Farm & Tadpole Garden Village, Outstanding Issues - Crest and Vistry must (finally) complete all outstanding works in these developments. I have been promised a timetable of remaining works.
🏏 Tadpole Garden Village – Sports Pitches – I have asked Crest to meet with Cllr Daniel Adams, Cllr Jake Chandler and St Andrews Parish Council to see what more support there could be to get this finally resolved after so many false starts.
🚗 Tadpole Lane Upgrade - I welcome plans to replace the dangerous bend on Tadpole Lane. They are considering various options and it is vital they listen to residents on the best option, potentially a roundabout as is the case with Abbey Farm.
👪 Play Parks - I have asked for more details on the proposed play parks. These need to be high quality and should make sure they are fully accessible, so I have asked them to meet with Becky Maddern of PIPA-Play.
👩🏫 School Places – Their initial proposals have incorrect figures and this needs be revised. I have asked them to link up with GWA who have started working on expansion plans, and to speak to all the local Primary Schools.
🌻 Green Buffer – Rightly much of the open space is used to provide a buffer separating this development from Abbey Farm and Tadpole Garden Village. I have requested further work on the west side of Abbey Farm to strengthen this buffer.
Thank you to all the residents who have been feeding in questions and suggestions on the proposed development. Having seen many good and bad developments over 24 years, this has the potential to be a good development. It is welcome this isn’t a high density concrete jungle, will replace the dangerous Tadpole Lane bend and crucially hasn’t directly linked with existing developments which would have created rat runs etc. However we expect the developers to address the issues raised ahead of the formal planning decision. We will continue to provide updates as progress is made.
