Special meeting called over golf course housing

The site has not been used as a golf course since 2019

An "extraordinary meeting" has been arranged by a council after four councillors decided to use a rare protocol to ask for a re-think on plans for for a former golf course.

The land in Highworth, near Swindon, is now used for recreation by locals and has a lot of wildlife, but the Borough Council voted to ask officers to start creating plans for 700 homes on some of the site.

Around 200 protestors turned up to that meeting as many residents want the council-owned area to officially become a nature park.

No planning application has gone in yet, but four Conservative councillors have formally asked for a call-in.

Around 200 people turned out to protest against the potential homes

They cited issues with how the decision was made, including that it was not clear that cabinet had all read the report on the matter, although Jim Robbins, the Labour leader of the council, said it had been discussed before the meeting.

Councillor Nick Gardiner told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): "I'm sure I speak for the majority in Highworth when I say we are not against the growth of the town.

"But without counting the possibility of 700 houses on beautiful green open space there are a number of development and more in discussion; that could lead to another 800-900 houses coming here, that's about a 25 per cent increase in the size of the town," he added.

Mr Robbins has said that the council "understands the passion that some residents of Highworth feel for the Old Golf Course" and the resistance to the development.

He added: "We are quite happy for local councillors to use their right to call in the decision, but we are very surprised by the reasons that they have chosen."

The decision will be discussed at an extraordinary meeting of Swindon Borough Council's Corporate Overview & Scrutiny Committee at 18:00 BST on 16 July.