Decision details

            The Cabinet Member for Sustainability and Strategic Planning and the Head of Planning submitted a joint report setting out the Pre-Submission Draft of the Swindon Borough Local Plan for the period to 2026.

            Councillor Dale Heenan, Cabinet Member for Sustainability and Strategic Planning, explained that the Local Plan was the main Planning policy document for shaping the development and growth of the Borough over the period to 2026. It provided the policy framework to deliver sustainable growth, and a clear strategy for how Swindon could address the challenges it faced, identifying how much, where, when, and how new development would take place in Swindon. He commented on some of the Plan’s key policies, in particular those relating to the provision and funding of infrastructure. He explained the way in which it linked to the Council’s emerging Corporate and Economic Strategies, and its importance to the future of the Borough. He explained the consultation and inspection process associated with the adoption of the plan and encouraged all local residents, organisations, businesses and developers to contribute to the process.

            Councillor Jim Grant, Leader of the Opposition, welcomed the Consultation Draft and commented on the importance of the Plan to the future of the Borough. He referred to the designation of housing and employment land at Kingsdown and enquired why the status had changed. He welcomed the proposals to create a green corridor of important open spaces.

            Councillor Kevin Small, Mannington and Western Ward Councillor, referred to the proposed Purton to Ifley Road link and asked whether this remained in the Local Plan. He advised that whilst the exact route might need to change to reflect the current development of the area, it remained a key project that local residents would wish to see achieved. He also welcomed the green corridor proposals and policy and the continued designation and protection of Martins Farm within the draft document.

            Councillor Stan Pajak, Leader of the Minority Group, welcomed the Plan and encouraged all residents to engage with the consultation process to ensure that the Council was aware of residents’ views and that the adopted Plan reflected what they wished to see the future Borough become.

            Councillor Steve Wakefield, Mannington and Western Ward Councillor, reiterated the comments regarding the importance of the Purton to Ifley Road link road and hoped to see its actual construction. He drew attention to the amount of proposed office development in the Town Centre area and wondered where this would be accommodated.

            Councillor Heenan thanked Councillors and Cabinet colleagues for their contributions. He explained the policy in relation to green open space and corridors and confirmed that the route of the Purton to Ifley Road link road was protected in the draft Plan. However, he cautioned that construction costs were considerable with a £60m cost given four years ago. There could be no guarantee as to when and by whom this road might be constructed, but the route was protected by the Plan. He explained that much of the office development in the Town Centre would be delivered by the future phases of the Union Square development, but as the Plan covered the period until 2026 and it was likely that proposals for other Town Centre schemes would come forward as time progressed. He commented on the proposals for Kingsdown and for the Eastern Villages and explained the reasons for the changes in designations and housing numbers since the original Core Strategy had been published.

            Councillor Heenan advised that he recognised that there would always be contentious and controversial issues in any plan of the magnitude of the Local Plan but he believed a great deal of effort had gone into producing a draft Plan for consultation that would provide for the sustainable growth of Swindon and its economy whilst protecting the interest and amenity of the vast majority of Swindon’s residents.

                        Resolved – The Council be recommended that –

(a)         The Swindon Borough Local Plan Pre-Submission Draft be endorsed for an eight week public consultation as soon as reasonably practical, in accordance with the arrangements detailed at paragraphs 4.1 and 4.2 of the joint report.

(b)        The Head of Planning and the Director of Law and Democratic Services be authorised to make minor changes to the content of the document (if required) prior to publication, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Sustainability and Strategic Planning.

(c)        The factual data, including technical studies and other relevant information used to inform the Local Plan Pre-Submission document, as well as the Infrastructure Delivery Plan, the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) incorporating Sustainability Appraisal (SA), Diversity Impact Assessment and Health Impact Assessment be made available for public inspection and comment alongside the Local Plan, in accordance with the Council’s adopted Statement of Community Involvement.

(d)        The Head of Planning and the Director of Law and Democratic Services be authorised to submit the Swindon Borough Local Plan 2026 for independent examination once the period of consultation is complete, together with the relevant documents and all comments received from the public consultation, subject to there being no material significant changes arising as a result of that consultation.

(e)        The Head of Planning and the Director of Law and Democratic Services be authorised to undertake any further consultation if directed by the Inspector at the Examination of the Local Plan and/or make any minor changes in order that the Plan be found sound through the Examination, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Sustainability and Strategic Planning.

(f)         The Head of Communications and Head of Planning be requested to produce an explanatory summary to assist local residents during the consultation period.

The reasons for the decision and alternative options are as set out in the report to the meeting.