Wichelstowe

Greenfield urban extension scheme involving the building of 4,500 houses, 13ha of B1 employment, a country park, local retail centres, schools, commercial, open space, nature conservation areas and associated infrastructure to the south of Swindon, north of the M4.

 The site has particular sensitivities or constraints that required an Environmental Impact Assessment to be carried out to accompany the planning application.  For example – a large Scheduled Ancient Monument, considerable ecological interest including a large population of Great Crested Newts, Water Voles and Badgers, proximity to the M4 and mainline railway as sources of potential noise and a flood plain associated with the River Ray and its tributaries.

 The development is currently under construction and will eventually bring the completion of the Old Town Southern Relief Road from Croft Road through under the M4 to Junction 16, the circulation of which will also be improved as a result of necessary off-site highway works; as well as much needed affordable and market housing

DPDS Involvement

• Promoting land through the planning process – culminating in specific site allocations in both the Wiltshire and Swindon Structure Plan 2011 and the Swindon Borough Local Plan 2011.
• Preparation of site master plan, production of maps, reports on which to base the environmental impact assessment and ultimately the planning application.
• Preparation and coordination of all supporting documentation for the planning application, including the Environmental Statement, Planning Supporting Statement, the Landscape Concept Document, the Sustainability Statement and the Statement of Public Consultation.
• Managing the overall project, including the team involved with the Environmental Impact Assessment, providing all policy and development advice, attending meetings with clients, relevant statutory bodies and local planning authority.
• Preparation of public consultation material including exhibition boards, regular newsletters and leaflets.  Conducting the consultation meetings and manning the exhibitions.
• Continued involvement in discharge of conditions, providing ongoing planning and development advice to the clients, submitting reserved matters planning applications for essential infrastructure and local centre.