DPDS advised Bryant Homes on the acquisition of c.205 acres of land to the south of Swindon with the potential for a further major expansion of the town.

On behalf of Bryant Homes (Taylor Woodrow), DPDS successful secured the allocation of the Southern Development Area for at least 3,800 houses (some 309ha of land in total) within the Wiltshire Structure Plan 2011, following two Examinations-in-Public and a subsequent High Court Challenge.

In July 2002, DPDS submitted an outline planning application to Swindon Borough Council (SBC) for the development for 4,500 houses, 18ha of employment land, retail and community uses, three primary and one secondary school, 3.38ha for a park and ride scheme, 11ha of country park and open space, the creation of 3.9km of new canal and the creation of the Old Town Southern Relief Road.  The application was accompanied by a comprehensive Environmental Statement (ES) and associated Technical Appendices which assessed the impact of the scheme on the environment; a Non-Technical Summary of the ES; a Retail Impact Assessment, a Traffic Impact Assessment; a Statement of Public Consultation and a Sustainability Statement.

Negotiations with SBC and other statutory and non-statutory organizations continued over the course of the year and in September 2003, following alterations to the masterplan, an amended application was submitted.  On January 24th 2004, SBC resolved to grant planning permission for the application subject to a S106 Agreement.  The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) advised that the application would not be called in for determination and planning permission was granted on May 19th 2005.