Homes To Be Built At Coate Water 

Government gives go-ahead for 900 house development near Swindon beauty spot

  

Set for development: the area near Coate Water

Houses will be built near Coate Water, the Government has decided.

 

Planning permission was turned down by Swindon Borough Council after a lengthy enquiry last year, but Persimmon Homes have successfully appealed to Eric Pickles, Government Minister for Communities and Local Government, who has now granted outline planning permission to build 900 houses.

 

The decision goes against a petition signed by over 52,000 people who objected to the plans.

 

"It's a bitter blow," said Jean Saunders, who led the 'Save Coate' campaign to protect the green space between the park and the Great Western Hospital.

 

Persimmon Homes have made assurances that the effect on Coate Water will be kept to a minimum.

 

The full planning process has now started with work expected to commence at Commonhead in 2013.