New homes could be built on land earmarked for school

Swindon's New Eastern Villages are located to the east of the A419 and are intended to cover 724 hectares

More than 70 houses could be built on land previously earmarked for a new school.

Following a dispute between Swindon Borough Council and developers in 2022, a government-appointed planning inspector gave the go-ahead for 220 houses to be built in Foxbridge Village, in north Swindon.

House builder Danecroft is now conducting an environmental impact assessment screening (EIA) for 75 new homes on the site, ahead of submitting a planning application.

The development is part of Swindon's New Eastern Villages (NEV), one of the largest greenfield developments in the country.

The NEV will consist of 8,000 homes, new schools, employment spaces and community and leisure facilities when complete.

The latest application is for new homes in the northern part of the village, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Outline planning consent for 220 homes in the area was approved by the planning inspectorate in 2022, who overruled the council's refusal.

The inspectorate said the developer's plans for 33 affordable homes would bring "undisputed significance" to the community, and Danecroft would still contribute financially towards primary and secondary schools.

In their EIA application, the developers said: "It is proposed that the remaining land would be developed to deliver 75 new homes, totalling 2.2 ha in size. This remaining land is located within the previously consented primary school land."

It is understood the school will be built within another area of the NEV.

Council officers said an ecological impact assessment would be required because the land has crested newt licences and roosting bat licences issues.