Board 1 – Introduction Welcome to this informal consultation hosted by South Marston Village Expansion Group,

a working party of South Marston Parish Council established to work in partnership with

Swindon Borough Council on the Supplementary Planning Document for South Marston.

The Village Expansion Group supports a community-led approach to shaping a

Supplementary Planning Document rather than the preparation of a formal

Neighbourhood Plan.

This exhibition seeks to provide an update on key issues facing the village in the context of

the proposed Eastern Villages development, and capture your views so that they can

inform the emerging draft Supplementary Planning Document for South Marston. The

draft Supplementary Planning Document will be subject to formal consultation later in the

year.

Please note, the Supplementary Planning Document for South Marston cannot re-examine

the principle of growth in the village. This is determined by Swindon Borough Council’s

(SBC) Core Strategy, which will be subject to a further round of consultation in summer

this year. More information on the Core Strategy can be found at:

http://www.swindon.gov.uk/corestrategy.

There are 9 Boards to visit and Parish Council Village Expansion Group members and

Borough Council officers are present to speak to if you have any queries;

1. Introduction

2. Planning Context

3. Eastern Villages Supplementary Planning Document

4. South Marston Indicative Masterplan (DRAFT)

5. Housing and Design

6. Transport

7. Green Infrastructure

8. Community Facilities and Education

9. Flooding

Please do not forget to complete a RESPONSE FORM and place it in the box by the door.

Your responses will be carefully considered by the Parish Council, who will then prepare

and publish a report of findings. This report will be formally sent to the Local Planning

Authority (and the development consortium) in order that it can be taken into account

when preparing and consulting on the Draft Supplementary Planning Document for South

Marston later in the year.

GLOSSARY OF TERMS

Planning is full of jargon and acronyms. Here are some of the most common ones.

Affordable Housing: social rented, affordable rented and intermediate housing provided

to eligible households whose needs are not met in the market. Affordable housing can

also be part owned by the occupier and part by a housing association; this is known as

‘shared equity’.

Brownfield land (previously developed land): land which is or was occupied by a

permanent structure and any associated fixed surface infrastructure.

Buy to let: open market housing bought specifically to let to tenants rather than owner

occupation.

Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL): a levy allowing local authorities to raise funds from

owners or developers of land undertaking new building projects in their areas.

Core Strategy: the Core Strategy or Local Plan is required by planning law. It sets out the

long-term spatial vision for a local area, identifying the overall level of different types of

development (housing, retail, employment etc) and where that development should go.

Other local planning documents, for example Supplementary Planning Documents, must

be in general conformity with the Core Strategy, developing the principles it sets out

regarding the development and use of land in a local planning authority’s area.

Density: the number of dwelling units (houses, bungalows or flats) of a given geographic

area.

Design code: illustrated design rules and requirements which instruct and may advise on

the physical development of a site or area. The graphic and written components of the

code are detailed and precise, and build upon a design vision such as a masterplan or

other deign framework for a site or area.

Development Plan: this includes adopted Local Plans, neighbourhood plans and is defined

in Section 38 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004.

Community Forest: an area identified through the England Community Forest Programme

to revitalise countryside and green space in and around major conurbations.

Environmental Impact Assessment: a procedure to be followed for certain types of

project to ensure that decisions are made in full knowledge of any likely significant effects

on the environment.

Flood Risk Assessment (FRA): required when a planning application is submitted.

Green field land: undeveloped land

Green Infrastructure: a network of multi-functional green space, urban and rural, which is

capable of delivering a wide range of environmental and quality of life benefits for local

communities.

Heritage Asset: a building, monument, site or place, area or landscape identified as having

a degree of significance meriting consideration in planning decisions because of its

heritage interest.

Historic Environment :all aspects of the environment resulting from interaction between

people and places through time, including all surviving physical remains of past human

activity, whether visible, buried or submerged, and landscaped and planted or managed

flora.

Inclusive design: designing the built environment, including buildings and their

surrounding spaces to ensure they can be accessed and used by everyone.

Local Planning Authority: the public authority whose duty it is to carry out specific

planning functions for a particular area (Swindon Borough Council), for example

preparation of a Core Strategy or Local Plan, and determination of planning applications.

Local Plan: The plan for future development of the local area, drawn up by the Local

Planning Authority in consultation with the community. New planning regulations mean

than future plans will be known as the Core Strategy.

Market housing: private housing for rent or sale, where the price is set on the open

market.

Masterplan: the Supplementary Planning Document will include a Masterplan which

shows how the proposed development principles can be applied to deliver a sustainable,

appropriate and sympathetic extension of the village. It will indicate proposed land uses

and be drawn on an Ordnance Survey map base.

National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF): the National Planning Policy Framework sets out the Government’s planning policies for England and how these are expected to be applied. It sets out the Government’s requirements for the planning system only to the extent that it is relevant, proportionate and necessary to do so. It provides a framework within which local people and their accountable councils can produce their own distinctive local and neighbourhood plans, which reflect the needs and priorities of their communities. Neighbourhood Plan: a plan prepared by a Parish Council or Neighbourhood Forum for a

particular neighbourhood area.

Open space: all open space of public value, including not just land but also areas of water

(such as rivers, canals and lakes) which offer important opportunities for sport and

recreation and can act as visual amenity.

Planning condition: a condition imposed on a grant of planning permission.

Planning Obligation: a legally enforceable obligation entered into under section 106 of the

Town and Country Planning Act 1990 to mitigate the impacts of a development proposal.

Private Landlord: A private landlord is someone who owns and lets properties as a

supplementary form of income.

Rural exception sites: small sites used for affordable housing in perpetuity where sites

would not normally be used for housing. Rural exception seeks to address the needs of

the local community by accommodating households who are either current residents or

have an existing family or employment connection.

South Marston Parish Council: Parish Councils provide a statutory tier of local

government and have a vital role in acting on behalf of the local community that they

represent.

South Marston Village Expansion Group (SMVEG): a Working Party of South Marston

Parish council established to work in partnership with Swindon Borough Council on the

Supplementary Planning Document for South Marston.

Strategic Environmental Assessment: a procedure which requires the formal

environmental assessment of certain plans and programmes which are likely to have

significant effects on the environment.

Supplementary Planning Documents: documents which add further detail to the policies

in the Local Plan. They are a material consideration in planning decisions but are not part

of the development plan.

Swindon Borough Council: Local Authority covering the administrative area of Swindon

Borough.

Transport Assessment: a comprehensive and systematic process that sets out transport

issues relating to a proposed development. It identifies which measures will be required

to improve accessibility and safety for all modes of travel, particularly for alternatives to

the private car such as walking, cycling and public transport and what measures will need

to be taken to deal with the anticipated transport impacts of the development.

Travel Plan: a long-term management strategy for an organisation or site that seeks to

deliver sustainable transport objectives through action and is articulated in a document

that is regularly reviewed.

Wildlife corridor: areas of habitat connecting wildlife populations.

Windfall sites: sites which have not been specifically identified as available in the Local

Plan process. They often comprise previously developed sites that have unexpectedly

become available.

Flooding

Environment Agency: executive Non-departmental Public Body responsible to the

Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Principal aims are to protect

and improve the environment, and to promote sustainable development.

Flood Risk Assessment: in England and Wales, the Environment Agency requires a Flood Risk Assessment (FRA) to be submitted alongside planning applications in areas that are known to be at risk of flooding (within Flood Zones 2 or 3). Planning permission is not normally granted until the FRA has been accepted by the Environment Agency.

Fluvial Flooding: flooding resulting from water levels exceeding the bank level of a main

river

Local Lead Flood Authority: Local authority responsible for taking the lead on local flood

risk management (SBC)

Sustainable Urban Drainage System (SUDS): management practices and control

structures that are designed to drain surface water in a more sustainable manner than

some conventional techniques

Surface Water: rainwater (including snow and other precipitation) which is on the surface

of the ground (whether it is moving or not) and has not entered a watercourse, drainage

system or public sewer

Thames Water: the body responsible for water supply and sewerage.

Board 2 – Planning Context

NATIONAL PLANNING POLICY FRAMEWORK (NPPF)

The National Planning Policy Framework, published in 2012, sets out the Government’s

planning policies for England and explains how these are expected to be applied. It

provides a framework within which local people and their accountable councils can

produce their own distinctive local and neighbourhood plans, which reflect the needs and

priorities for their communities.

There is a presumption in favour of sustainable development (as defined within the

document) and the NPPF is a material consideration in planning decisions. More

information can be found at:

http://www.communities.gov.uk/planningandbuilding/planningsystem/planningpolicy/pla

nningpolicyframework/

LOCAL PLANNING CONTEXT

The Core Strategy is the principal planning policy document for Swindon, setting out the

long-term spatial vision for the borough to 2026. It identifies the overall level of different

types of development that is proposed, and the geographical location of the development.

It identifies the proposed Eastern Villages development – a mixed use development to the

east of the A419 with up to 7,500 homes and associated uses.

The Supplementary Planning Documents for the Eastern Villages and South Marston are being prepared concurrently as an expanded South Marston, whilst retaining its own identity, needs to integrate with the wider Eastern Villages development. The documents overlap in their geographical extent and share broad design principles.

EASTERN

VILLAGES

SUPPLEMENTARY

PLANNING

DOCUMENT

SOUTH

MARSTON

SUPPLEMENTARY

PLANNING

DOCUMENT

Statement of

Community

Involvement

CORE STRATEGY

THEME BASED SUPPLEMENTARY PLANNING

DOCUMENTS (e.g. ACCESS FOR ALL)

A developer’s consortium own or have options on significant areas of land in South

Marston. The consortium has indicated its intention to submit a planning application for

primarily residential development by the end of the year.

Hartwell’s own land at Crown Timber and Thornhill Industrial Estate and have already

engaged planning consultants to prepare a planning application to develop these

brownfield sites for residential purposes.

Please don’t hesitate to ask SMVEG members or Borough planning officer’s questions.

ANTICIPATED TIMETABLE FOR ADOPTION

Core Strategy Statutory consultation on Submission Draft – Summer/Autumn 2012

Examination in Public – early 2013 Adoption - Autumn 2013

South Marston and Eastern Villages Supplementary Planning Documents

Statutory consultation – late Summer 2012

Adoption following Core Strategy Examination in Public

Board 3 – Eastern Villages

Supplementary Planning Document The purpose of this stand is to provide the context in which the South Marston

Supplementary Planning Document is being prepared. Whilst Swindon Borough Council

welcomes early engagement on the draft Eastern Villages Supplementary Planning

Document, the purpose of this exhibition is to consider issues specifically related to

South Marston. The draft Eastern Villages Supplementary Planning Document will be

subject to statutory consultation later this year.

The Core Strategy sets the strategic context for the proposed Eastern Villages

development. Policy NC4 allocates a mixed use development based on a series of new

distinct villages and an expanded village at South Marston:

- 7,500 homes in total at an average density of 35 dwellings per hectare,

- 20 hectares of employment land,

- 12,000m2 of retail and complimentary uses including a new District Centre, 3 local

centres and additional facilities in South Marston to serve the local community,

- A learning campus,

- An additional 3 primary schools and an expanded school at South Marston,

- A comprehensive approach to tackling climate change including harnessing of green

energy

- Green infrastructure,

- Sport and leisure facilities.

The vision for the Eastern Villages is set out below, and the plan indicates the proposed

extent of the individual villages, or neighbourhood areas.

Draft Eastern Villages Supplementary Planning Document – Vision

A well designed, high quality, innovative, sustainable, diverse and contemporary development with strategic infrastructure that benefits Swindon as a whole

A sensitive approach to the development that responds positively to the existing landscape context, natural and historic assets and the identity of the surrounding villages as well as enhancing biodiversity and Green Infrastructure

A series of new distinct villages with individual identities and characters linked together by green spaces that help integrate the development with the existing urban area and wider landscape setting

Facilities and services required for the new communities and opportunities for existing neighbouring areas to benefit from the development including improved connections to the Town Centre

A new eastern gateway to Swindon that improves the image of the Town and maximises benefits to the wider economy

The density and character of the new villages will vary according to their location – more

compact around the key nodes and the primary movement network; lower toward the

rural fringe of the development and edges of villages. The scale of development will

enable a number of new transport connections and improvements to existing facilities

including a rapid transit link to the Town Centre from the north east end of the site along

with a Park and Ride site, the improvement of White Hart junction and A420 to manage

the additional traffic demands, a new road link to Commonhead and a “green bridge”,

providing a new bus, pedestrian and cycleway across the A419.

Large swathes of land through the site comprise the proposed areas of green

infrastructure (GI). These include watercourses, their associated flood risk zones as well

as more formal open spaces and leisure uses, woodland planting, wildlife areas and

historic assets. These zones help define the edges of the individual villages, providing

identity and further enhancing the diversity and individuality of the new neighbourhoods.

The proposed District Centre will be the hub of the development delivering an anchor

food store of up to 10,000m2 gross retail (with a maximum 20% comparison goods), as

well as a diverse range of facilities including other retail, restaurant and leisure units.

The Learning Campus will comprise the main secondary school for the Eastern Villages, a

local primary school, a special school, a children’s centre and early years provision along

with a local public sector base and access for facilities for community use.

The Eastern Villages Supplementary Planning Document will identify the highway, and

other infrastructure requirements, necessary to serve the entire development. It will also

carefully consider how South Marston village will relate to the overall development, how

its character and setting can be safeguarded, and how the impact of the development can

be minimised.

Please don’t hesitate to ask SMVEG members or Borough planning officer’s questions.

Board 4 – South Marston Indicative

Masterplan Other boards in the room explore individual issues such as transport and housing, and

seek your views on particular issues and options/alternatives. The South Marston

Supplementary Planning Document will include an Indicative Masterplan, and the plan

below shows how the different land uses and highway connections could look.

The plan shows sufficient land to accommodate about 580 new homes on greenfield land

(consortium controlled and other smaller privately owned sites) and about 170 homes on

brownfield sites (at an average density of 30 dwellings per hectare).

Development Principles

South Marston Working Party has agreed the following Development Principles, against

which the Indicative Masterplan has been prepared:

1. Separation from other Residential Areas. Maintain and visually enhance the separation of the village from the Swindon urban area, and any future development, by providing a gap of open amenity space.

2. Rural feel. Maintain an open and rural feel by providing public open space accessible to the existing and future residents with green corridors that safeguard views from the village to the North Wessex Downs Area of Natural Beauty, the Church and the surrounding countryside.

3. Culture and Heritage. Create a thriving modern settlement that respects its cultural,

historical and archaeological heritage.

4. Community Facilities in the Village. Enhance a sense of belonging to a single village community by providing modern facilities (near to the school) with adequate shared parking.

5. Primary Education. Provide a sympathetically designed Primary School in an accessible location with permanent buildings and sufficient capacity to cater for all village children, and which acts as a community resource.

6. Existing Dwellings . New development to have no detrimental impact on the amenity of existing dwellings.

7. Travel. Ensure an integrated safe and convenient road, footpath and cycleway layout that embraces the ‘Walkable Neighbourhood’ concept.

8. Public Transport. Encourage the use and provision of public and community based transport to serve the expanded village.

9. Pedestrian and Cycle Connections. Provide pedestrian and cycle connections to the village centre, between neighbourhoods and to nearby facilities and public transport hubs, as well as into the countryside.

10. Traffic Control. Control both traffic volume and speed, particularly at Pound Corner, using a revised highway network, signage, enforced 20 mph speed restriction

and measures to significantly reduce movement of large vehicles and through traffic, whilst retaining and enhancing road links to the outside world.

11. Housing Types. Maintain the village character by reflecting the existing overall mix of housing types, with a bias towards detached family homes and distinctive design aesthetic, a housing density of 25 to the hectare and 15% social housing*.

*Swindon Borough Council has not agreed to this as the Core Strategy requires an average density of 35 dwellings per hectare and 30% affordable housing. However, in acknowledgement of the unique character of the village the Council accepts a lower density is appropriate for the village (30 dwellings per hectare) and has agreed an affordable housing allocation of 20%.

12. Older People. Enable older people to live in the village by providing appropriate dwellings through a mix of open market, social and supported housing as well as access to appropriate community facilities.

13. Recreation and Visual Amenity (Green Space). Provide recreational and visual amenity for all generations by providing new public open space using a ratio of one quarter developed land to three quarters undeveloped land and incorporating new allotments, play, sports and recreation facilities*. *Swindon Borough Council adopted standard is 3.2 Hectares per 1000 population

14. Flood Risk. Protect the current and future village from fluvial and surface water flood risk and take account of existing drainage facilities.

15. Provision of Services. Facilitate provision of mains drainage and gas supply to existing properties lacking these. Ensure availability of high speed internet access throughout the village.

16. Design Codes. Establish the requirement for Village Design Codes to guide the

structure, design and character of new development. Establish legibility criteria and

standards.

17. Building for Life. Adopt “Building For Life” criteria for new housing development.

18. Secured by Design. Create a village form that embraces security by design

principles, requirements for natural surveillance and community safety.

19. Sustainable Design. Require sustainable design and construction e.g.energy

provision and efficiency, waste management, SUDS, BREEAM/EcoHomes, low carbon

development.

Question 1; DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON THE DRAFT DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPLES?

Question 2; DO YOU FEEL THE PROPOSED RESIDENTIAL AREAS (SHOWN RED ON THE

MAP) ARE IN THE RIGHT LOCATIONS?

Please don’t hesitate to ask SMVEG members or Borough planning officer’s questions.

Board 5 – Housing and Design The Core Strategy is expected to propose the allocation of about 580 homes on greenfield

land and about 170 homes on brownfield sites (Crown Timber and Thornhill Industrial

Estate).

The need for a Design Framework

South Marston’s Village Expansion Group and Swindon Borough Council are keen to see a

set of Design Criteria included within the Supplementary Planning Document, as well as a

requirement for the developers to submit, consult on, and adopt an approved set of

DESIGN CODES for South Marston before any new homes are built. These design rules will

provide greater assurance over design quality and advise on and instruct on the physical

development of the village.

The Codes could require a range of housing densities, for example higher density for the

village core and densities as low as 20dwellings/hectare towards the village edge.

The examples on this board show that the design and layout of new housing is more

critical to achieving appropriate high quality development than just seeking lower

densities.

Providing for local needs

A design code can influence the availability of particular types of houses for particular

needs. South Marston already has a higher population of older people than generally

across the Borough. The SPD could specify that a proportion of homes must meet the

‘Lifetime Homes Standard’. This would mean that existing villager, or relatives of existing

villagers have a better chance of finding suitable housing in the village if their current

accommodation is no longer appropriate for their needs.

Affordable housing

The SPD must be consistent with the overall Core Strategy policies in the Borough. Within

any new development, there must be a proportion of housing that is classed as

‘affordable’ which includes social rented housing as well as shared equity (part owned,

part rented) housing. The South Marston design code can state that such housing should

be of the same or similar quality as housing aimed at the commercial market and can be

distributed throughout the new development.

Housing Density

The indicative masterplan (Board 4) shows how this amount of development could be

provided if the new housing was to be built at an average density of about 30

dwellings/hectare (12 dwellings/acre). A higher average density of at least 35

dwellings/hectare is proposed for the wider Eastern Villages development.

There is an understandable concern that densities should not be too high and alter the

character of the village but if housing density was to be lower, significantly more land

would need to be built on.

A lower average density of about 25 dwellings/hectare (10 dwellings/acre) would require

about a FIFTH more (20%) land to be allocated, similar to the size of the existing

Recreation Ground.

Examples of existing development in South Marston built at different densities

Location Density

Bell Gardens 20.6 dwellings per hectare

Church Ground 24.5 dwellings per hectare

Quarrybrook Close 41.1 dwellings per hectare

Question 3; DO YOU AGREE WITH THE IDEA OF APPROVING DESIGN CRITERIA (A DESIGN

CODE) THAT SET OUT THE QUALITY AND DENSITY OF DEVELOPMENT THAT WILL BE

EXPECTED FOR THE VILLAGE?

Question 4; DO YOU FAVOUR A BROAD RANGE OF HOUSING TYPES OR PREDOMINATELY

SUB-URBAN STYLE DETACHED AND SEMI- DETACHED HOUSES?

Question 5; DO YOU FEEL THAT NEW HOMES SHOULD BE FRONTED ONTO THE

RECREATION GROUND AND OTHER OPEN SPACES IN THE EXPANDED VILLAGE?

Question 6; SHOULD NEW HOMES BE “ENVIRONMENTALLY – FRIENDLY” WITH FEATURES

INCLUDING HIGH INSULATION, SOLAR PANELS, “GREY WATER” FOR TOILET FLUSHING

ETC?

Please don’t hesitate to ask SMVEG members or Borough planning officer’s questions.

Board 6 – Transport The planning application for the proposed Eastern Villages will require a Transport

Assessment to determine the number of additional trips generated and how these will be

accommodated on the local highway.

Swindon Borough Council in partnership with the Highways Agency (who are responsible

for the A419) and South Marston Village Expansion Group have commissioned transport

consultants (Halcrow and JMP) to robustly assess the transport impacts of the proposed

development prior to receipt of any planning application.

We know existing concerns relate to Pound Corner (vehicular and pedestrian conflict), the

level of ‘through traffic’, the number of vehicles exceeding the speed limit and the number

of Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) using roads in the village.

In 2010 a report on the existing transport problems in the village and possible solutions

was prepared by JMP, working on behalf of South Marston Village Expansion Group and

Swindon Borough Council. This has now been modified to take into account the changes

expected to occur in the next 10 years. The updated report indicates that the following

transport solutions are appropriate to mitigate the impact of additional trips within the

village:

- 20mph throughout village (30mph outer limit) with psychological traffic calming and

gateway features

- Retention of Rowborough and Nightingale Lane as Public Rights of Way/Bridlepaths

- Junction improvements on A420 (signalised crossroads at Gablecross junction,

widening of Police Station access with introduction of a right turn lane from the east

and additional lane westbound, widening of A420 westbound between western EV

access, new eastern access near Acorn Bridge).

- No ‘southern bypass’ for South Marston

- No ‘eastern bypass’ for South Marston

Pound Corner

Two options were modelling to understand how the junction would perform and how

traffic will disperse around the village:

- The provision of a footway on the northern side of Pound Corner along with a new

junction on Thornhill Road between Rawlings Close and Manor Park, and

- A clockwise one way system starting at Pound Corner and comprising of Old Vicarage

Lane, new residential roads, a new junction on Thornhill Road between Rawlings

Close and Manor Park, and Thornhill Road.

A third option which has not been modelled due to capacity and safety concerns is to

retain the existing arrangement at Pound Corner and provide an additional junction on

Thornhill Road between Rawlings Close and Manor Park, and Thornhill Road.

Connections to Rowborough

Two options have been modelled:

- An all movement junction allowing turning movements between Old Vicarage Lane

and the link road to Rowborough, and

- A limited movement junction to prevent traffic from Rowborough travelling through

South Marston.

The testing concluded that offering an all movement junction in the form of a

roundabout is unlikely to result in a significant increase in traffic volumes in South

Marston.

The full JMP report is available in hard copy and on the Parish Council’s website. Please

speak to a SMVEG representative or Borough Council Officer for details.

Rural roads are an integral part of any rural community structure and a recreational

opportunity. It will be important to remove unnecessary vehicles from village roads by

making Thornhill Road, Highworth Road and Old Vicarage Lane unattractive ‘through

routes’, and to retain the rural nature of the village . Psychological traffic calming features

are designed for the local context.

The transport modelling assesses the predicted increase in number of vehicles that

are likely to use roads in the village (please see table of figures) and road capacity. It

does not consider other issues, for example quality of life, and therefore proposed

‘solutions’ need to be assessed against a broad range of criteria including

deliverability and value for money.

Question 7; DO YOU AGREE WITH INTRODUCING A 20MPH SPEED LIMIT THROUGHOUT

THE VILLAGE?

Question 8; WHAT ARE YOUR VIEWS FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF POUND CORNER?

Question 9; ACCESS INTO AND OUT OF THE VILLAGE IS CRITICAL. DO YOU AGREE WITH

THE PROPOSALS TO IMPROVE THE JUNCTIONS WITH THE A420?

Pound Corner Traffic Volumes with and without a one way system – AM Peak Hour

Pound Corner Traffic Volumes with and without a one way system – PM Peak Hour

Board 7 – Green Infrastructure New OPEN SPACES will need to be provided by the developers to support the increase in

population resulting from the expansion of the village.

The plan illustrates how the areas suggested for development could be divided by three

main “greenways” of open space that would provide an open structure to village

expansion, retain views out to the North Wessex Downs and importantly, ensure that

most existing homes remain next to, or nearby, open space(s).

This arrangement would allow;

• a network of safe footpaths and cycle ways to be provided connecting to existing

paths and streets, and to the fields on the edge of the village that will remain

undeveloped. This could include opening up existing cul-de-sacs to allow pedestrian access

to recreational areas wherever possible.

• different types of open space to be provided, including more allotments, play areas,

sports pitches, and areas for wildlife.

• the possibility of either the transfer into a Village Trust, or designation as a Local

Green Space, of all of the land which is controlled by the development consortium which

is not allocated for development.

The issue of education provision is discussed in more detail on Board 8. However, the

recreational facilities associated with the school need to be considered in the context of

Green Infrastructure as an expanded school at the existing location would require

development of a small part of the recreation ground. In this instance compensatory land

would be provided by the developers consortium to the east of the existing recreational

ground.

Question 10; DO YOU AGREE THAT THE PLANNED OPEN SPACE REPRESENTS A LOGICAL

WAY TO PROVIDE AMENITY LAND WITHIN AN EXPANDED VILLAGE?

Question 11; ARE THERE PARTICULAR TYPES OF OPEN SPACE THAT YOU THINK SHOULD

BE PROVIDED?

More Allotments Community Woodland/Orchard

Equipped Play Areas A new Village Green/Formal Gardens

Informal Play Areas Sports Pitches

Skateboard Park Wildlife Areas

Other (please specify)

* the provision of housing at a lower density would mean less land is available for public

open space due to the amount of land required to deliver the total number of homes.

Please don’t hesitate to ask SMVEG members or Borough planning officer’s questions.

Board 8 – Community Facilities,

Education and Other Infrastructure Any new house-building proposal requires the developer to contribute to the

‘infrastructure’ of the community in which it is being built. This includes improvements to

the roads as well as contributions to educational facilities, green space, formal sports

pitches and community buildings for public use. Any services and facilities that the village

wishes to secure through the expansion of South Marston will need to be prioritised, since

as a limited amount of funding will be available through Section 106 (developer

contributions).

EDUCATION

There will be a requirement to provide additional school places for the increase of children

of primary school age who will live within the expanded village.

The existing school is 0.5 forms of entry (105 pupils) and a further 1 form of entry (210

pupils) will be needed. There are two possibilities: either to expand the existing school or

to build a relocated school on land controlled by the developers to the west (to the south

of Bell Gardens). These options are subject to a feasibility study commissioned by the

Local Education Authority (Swindon Borough Council). The study includes an assessment

of the possibility of shared use of facilities.

The developers will only be required to fund new school places, and not to cover the cost

of providing the existing 0.5 forms of entry (105 pupils), if a relocated school option was

preferred. With limited public resources comparative overall costs will be important to

consider, as the Local Education Authority will need to ensure that the option chosen is fit

for the purpose of delivering a high quality of education. Land take from the Recreation

Ground for the expansion option would result in allocation of a similar increase in green

space elsewhere near the Village Centre.

There are advantages and disadvantages to both alternatives and you may have your own

views, whether you have children attending the school or, as a village resident.

Question 12; BEARING IN MIND THAT THE SCHOOL OPTIONS APPRAISAL MAY RULE OUT

ONE OR OTHER OPTION ON COST GROUNDS, DO YOU FAVOUR A) EXPANDING THE

EXISTING SCHOOL OR, B) THE BUILDING OF A REPLACEMENT SCHOOL ON A NEW SITE TO

THE SOUTH OF BELL GARDENS, AND WHY?

COMMUNITY HUB

The expansion of the village presents an opportunity to improve community facilities in

the village.

The existing village hall will no longer meet the village’s needs and a larger village hall with

better parking facilities will be required. Should it provide space for a village cafe, indoor

sports such as badminton, or a “white room” that could be used by a locum doctor or

chiropodist? Should it be located next to the School on the Recreation Ground or

elsewhere? Should the Village Car Park be extended on the Recreation Ground?

You may feel that a village shop, either run commercially, or as a community shop would

benefit an expanded village.

It makes sense to provide community facilities in a way that provides maximum flexibility

for use by local community groups as well as providing additional space for use for school

activities. In many large new developments, a new school is designed and built to provide

the community facilities, and then managed by the school governors and the education

authority. In other developments, the community hall is a separate building, owned by

the community, which may be used by the school for specific activities and events. South

Marston has the opportunity to decide which approach is most appropriate for this village.

The new development also presents an opportunity to improve other services, at cost, for

example superfast broadband and connection to mains drainage for those properties that

are currently served by septic tanks that may be in areas close to where new houses are

being built.

Question 13; SHOULD THE NEW SOUTH MARSTON COMMUNITY HALL BE OWNED AND

MANAGED BY THE COMMUNITY ITSELF, OR PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL?

Question 14; DO YOU THINK THAT A VILLAGE SHOP SHOULD BE CONSIDERED TO SERVE

THE EVENTUAL INCREASED VILLAGE POPULATION OF ABOUT 1,800 PEOPLE?

Question 15; WHAT OTHER COMMUNITY FACILITIES WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE?

Question 16; DO YOU THINK THAT IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL IF THESE NEW VILLAGE

FACILITIES WERE LOCATED NEXT TO THE SCHOOL, WHEREVER IT IS LOCATED?

Please don’t hesitate to ask SMVEG members or Borough planning officer’s questions.

Board 9 – Flooding The village is low lying and has suffered from major flooding events in the last few years.

It is imperative that new development does not increase flood risk. No development will

be allowed within the defined river floodplains and a full FLOOD RISK ASSESSMENT (FRA)

will have to be prepared by the developers’ consultants, and approved by the

Environment Agency and SBC (as Local Lead Flood Authority) before the grant of any

planning permission. The FRA will be a public document.

The Flood Risk Assessment will detail required mitigation measures to be identified to

ensure that the existing village, and new development within the village, will not be

threatened by the impact of new development on flood risk within the overall Proposed

Eastern Villages development.

Representatives from the Environment Agency and the developers are in attendance to

answer your questions.

The developers (SEDAG) have said:

“Relating to flooding, the flood data has been prepared over a number of years and at

present relate to the modelled extent of the floodplain. This will generally set the

potential development areas for the scheme. The flood work done to date has been

signed off by the Environment Agency. The scheme will incorporate a range of Sustainable

Drainage Systems (SuDS) that will ensure that there is no greater flood risk as a result of

the proposals, but the details of the type, size and locations of the SuDS will come through

further detailed design work and through our Flood Risk Assessment that will form part of

our planning application proposals.”

NEXT STEPS

Your responses will be carefully considered by the Parish Council, which will

then prepare and publish a report of findings. This report will be formally sent

to the Local Planning Authority (and the development consortium) for it to

take into account when preparing and consulting on the Draft Supplementary

Planning Document for South Marston later in the year.

Please watch the Parish Council website for updates.

Finally, if you have any questions, please speak to one of your Parish

Councillors or to one of the Borough Council Planning officers who are also in

attendance.

Is there anything you think we have missed?

Please don’t forget to complete one of the RESPONSE FORMS and place it in the box by the door.