Time-Out Called For On Lydiard Park 

Hundreds turn out for meeting on the future of Swindon's stately home

 

The debate on the future of Lydiard Park took a significant step forward last night at a public meeting in west Swindon.

 

Over five hundred people turned up to Lydiard Park Academy to hear that Swindon Borough Council [SBC] proposals to lease the house and grounds to a commercial organisation could be put on hold.

 

Lydiard Park from the Air, as shot by SwindonWeb's video company, VideoWorks

 

That was after The Friends of Lydiard (who organised the meeting) presented a 8,000 name petition calling for the park to remain out of private hands.

 

But after Councillor Garry Perkins reiterated the Council's need to save significant sums in the current financial year, he conceded that they would consider a three-month halt to the process.

 

He also revealed that a number of parties had already come forward with an interest in taking Lydiard Park on - including a Trust formed by a number of current employees - but that the estate was definitely not for sale.

 

The time-out proposal will now be put to the SBC Cabinet for consideration.