Councillors in Swindon will be asked to press ahead with work which could deliver up to 700 homes on the site of a former nine-hole golf course.
Members of Swindon Borough Council’s cabinet will be offered three options for what to do with the 29.5-hectare, council-owned former Highworth Golf Centre at its June 4 meeting.
The first option considers turning the site into a country park or nature reserve, while the second and third options propose schemes of 400 and 700 homes respectively. Both housing options would seek an affordable housing provision of up to 50 per cent.
Council officers have recommended cabinet approves the third option for 700 homes to maximise the potential financial return.
Highworth Town Council has long wanted the borough council to turn the site into a country park and has produced a business proposal in conjunction with Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, the National Trust and Swindon Community Forest.
Cllr Kevin Small, Swindon Borough Council’s cabinet member for finance, said: “It is almost a year since we asked officers to carry out a detailed options appraisal of the former golf course and we’ve taken our time because this is an important decision on a popular borough-owned asset.
“Over the last year we have held workshops and meetings with the town council as representatives of the local community, to fully consider its own business proposal and to ensure it was reflected in the first option to turn the land into a nature reserve.
“I know that asking my cabinet colleagues to support taking the proposal for the larger housing scheme to the next stage will be unpopular for those who regularly use the old golf course, but the council’s extremely challenging financial position means we have to ensure we make a decision that is in the best interests of all the borough’s council taxpayers, while continuing to deliver frontline services to support the most vulnerable residents in Swindon.
“If the housing option can be taken forward, it will also provide hundreds of much-needed homes for local residents. a significant percentage of which would be affordable.”
© Thames Tap (powered by ukpropertyforums.com).
Sign up to receive our weekly free journal, The Forum here.
