The New Eastern Villages (NEV) is one of the largest greenfield developments in the country, and we want to keep you updated as works progress.

This newsletter will drop into your inbox every month and will contain everything you need to know about the development and the accompanying roadworks.

Meet the NEV team

There are 14 people in our dedicated New Eastern Villages team. They have been working on this project for a number of years and are experts in their respective fields.

In each newsletter edition we will introduce you to one of them.

Angela Clack

NEV Programme Manager and Infrastructure Coordinator

Angela has worked for the Council for almost 20 years and is responsible for facilitating the delivery of infrastructure for the development.

On a daily basis she works with internal and external partners to help deliver infrastructure to support the NEV. She also prepares and reviews planning documents so that sustainable developments can go ahead.

What's recently happened at White Hart roundabout?

New signs have gone up

If you've been driving around the White Hart roundabout recently, you'll probably have noticed the signs that have gone up ahead of the roadworks starting.

We have used an A-frame design so they are able to be moved while the work is taking place.

They contain the emergency contact number (07899 751807) and email address (whj@swindon.gov.uk) for the project and are situated on all the approaches to the roundabout.

Vegetation cut back

Ahead of the roadworks due to take place at the White Hart roundabout, we have been cutting back the vegetation around the junction.

This work is being done well in advance to ensure that nesting birds don't delay the project once it gets underway. Bird breeding season begins in early March and all wild birds are protected by law. It's therefore important to make sure that wildlife isn't unintentionally harmed while the roadworks are taking place.

What's happening next at White Hart roundabout?

Removal of overhead gantry and road closure

To allow the White Hart work to go ahead, the directional sign gantry on the A420 - adjacent to the former Toys R Us car park exit - will have to be removed.

This work will begin at 10pm on Saturday, 29 February and will be completed by 7am on Sunday, 1 March 2020.

During this time, the A420 between the White Hart junction and Gablecross roundabout will be closed to through traffic.

The NEV and the local environment

The NEV is one of the largest greenfield developments in the country and, as a result, has the potential to disrupt local ecosystems.

However, the development has been planned with the welfare of the environment and local wildlife firmly in mind.

That's why we've installed newt fencing on a plot of land just off the junction. Specially designed newt fences are intended to control the movement of great crested newts.

Newts are legally protected in the UK and can usually be seen between March and October.

This fencing will protect them and will allow us to monitor them closely as work progresses. 

Green infrastructure is vital for all of us. The design and arrangement of green spaces can make for a fun and enjoyable place to live, work and spend leisure time.

Thankfully, the NEV presents numerous opportunities for sustainable development.

A network of green corridors and open spaces will connect each of the nine villages. Parks, woodland, community spaces, nature reserves, play areas, sports pitches and allotments will be established and protected.

The green corridors - conducive to cycling and walking - will reduce the need to travel by car. All new homes will be built within easy walking distance of a green route that connects to the wider network. 

This picture shows one of the NEV's strategic cycle routes and is located alongside the Symmetry Park development. 

Highways updates

Planning updates

Development: Symmetry Park 

Details: 40 hectares of employment land

Current position: Outline planning permission was granted in June 2015 with subsequent reserved matters granted in 2016 and 2019. Unit 1 (Area A on map) is complete and occupied by Iceland. A new planning application has been submitted for a proposed storage/distribution building at Unit 2 (Area B), which is estimated to create up to 1,500 new jobs.

Development: Land at Foxbridge village 

Details: This village lies at the southern edge of the NEV boundary. With an area of less than 27 hectares, it is one of the smaller villages within the NEV.

Current position: A new planning application for up to 370 new homes has been received.

Public Q&A

We expect you have a lot of questions about the NEV. If you submit them via the link below, we will answer three in the next issue.

These were the questions people put to us following last month's newsletter:

Q: Has the impact of increased population been accounted for in Great Western Hospital capacity planning?

A: In short, yes. The Great Western Hospital has been successful in bidding for £30m of national government funding. This money will expand and integrate services across the hospital to accommodate Swindon’s growing and ageing population. The plans are being drawn up and more information will be shared in the near future.

Q: Why don't you ensure housing developments such as Wichelstowe are completed before starting on new ones? 

A: Our ability to deliver on a project is not dependent on completing another. It's our job to ensure these various developments are brought forward in a coordinated and well-managed way, and it's perfectly possible for multiple projects to run at the same time. 

Sometimes, as with Wichelstowe, matters beyond our control can delay things slightly. But progress is being made at this and other sites across Swindon.

Q: Why do you need to build on greenfield land? We're in danger of running out of green spaces.

A: We have house-building targets set by central government that have to be met. With this in mind, it's necessary that greenfield land is built on.

However, great care has been taken with the NEV to ensure that the environmental considerations have been taken into account, detail for which is contained above.

If you have any other queries or if there is anything else relating to the NEV that we can help with, don't hesitate to get in touch.

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Swindon Borough Council, Civic Offices, Euclid Street, Swindon, SN1 2JH