New country park proposed for housing development

A new park will provide residents of a large new housing development with access to woodland, wetlands and wildflower meadows.

Despite its name, the new South Marston Country Park will not be added to the list of Swindon Borough's officially accredited country parks, but will provide open spaces for the residents of 2,300 new houses being built in the village.

Developers Vistry Cotswolds and Taylor Wimpey have submitted details of the landscaping for the park, which will occupy a site south of the current village centre.

In an application sent to the council, the developers said the park would create "both a visual and audio buffer, as well as boosting biodiversity within the development".

The proposed site is largely grazing and rough grassland, with some hedgerows separating fields.

The new park will also contain grassy areas and a fully equipped children's play area that will be easily accessible from the new homes.

"The proposed play area is within a well-connected area, adjacent to Carpenters Walk, bus stops in both directions, and alongside the pedestrian and cycle network on the primary street," the developers said in the application.

"It is also centrally located for the first phases of residential development, with direct access coming from the southern parcel and crossing points over the primary street to the east and west from the northern parcel, providing good passive surveillance."

The outline plan for the country park was approved in the original planning consent for the expansion of South Marston that was granted in 2021.

The current accredited country parks within the borough are Coate Water, Stanton, Lydiard and Mouldon Hill.

The South Marston expansion is part of the New Eastern Villages greenfield development that will see 8,000 new homes, new schools and employment and leisure facilities built near Swindon.

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