NEV development villages
Great Stall East
Great Stall East has an approximate area of 50 hectares and will be located south of the railway and A420.
The express bus network will run east-west through this development area connecting the park and ride facility with the main area of Swindon, via Great Stall Bridge. It will act as a central spine connecting the length of Great Stall and the key services and facilities within the development.
As such, Great Stall East will have a significant role to play within the overall NEV in providing connectivity with the wider urban area.
A strong built structure and high levels of connectivity will be required to connect the Education Campus, which will incorporate primary, secondary and 16-18 education facilities, with the other NEV villages.
Great Stall East is located close to one of the key gateways in to Swindon, and as a result the design should reflect upon this, as well as its rural surroundings.
The River Cole corridor should provide a central recreational feature and wildlife area for the enjoyment of the people who will live and work in the NEV, to support and promote the biodiversity of the area and for the benefit of the wider community.
This important feature should play a key factor in the influence of the form and design of the development.
Great Stall West
With an approximate area of 78 hectares, Great Stall West is among the largest of the villages and will contain the District Centre including retail, leisure and health facilities.
District Centre
Immediately south of the A420 and adjacent to the A419, the District Centre will provide a focus for the New Eastern Villages communities, and will be of a suitable scale and exemplary design.
Great Stall is located close to one of the key gateways in to Swindon, and as a result the design should reflect upon this. The District Centre itself will include 2.5 hectares for Class B1a (office) uses.
Symmetry Park
The NEV can make a significant contribution towards Swindon’s economy. The main employment allocation for the NEV will be at Symmetry Park, within the Great Stall West development area.
In line with Local Plan Policy NC3, employment land within the NEV will comprise approximately 30 hectares for Class B8 (storage or distribution) uses, 7.5 hectares for Class B1b/c (business) or Class B2 (general industrial).
Foxbridge
This village signals the development edge of the NEV from the south. With an area of less than 27 hectares, it is one of the smaller villages within the NEV.
As set out on the Local Plan Policies Map, the indicative route of the Wilts & Berks Canal may run through this village and has the potential to provide a strong identity for the island and encourage greater connectivity with the neighbouring areas north and south.
Upper Lotmead
Upper Lotmead is approximately 20 hectares and lies adjacent to the A419 and alongside the historic Roman settlement of Durocornovium; a Scheduled Monument (SM).
The village of Upper Lotmead will primarily be residential and will share links with the District Centre and the existing Swindon urban area.
The village should consider the views from Upper Lotmead to the east and create a strong and distinctive architectural response, particularly along the highly visible edges, to strengthen its character and provide a strong identity for this village.
Lower Lotmead
This village will be surrounded by strategic green spaces, which provides a unique context and strong relationship with the natural and rural environment beyond.
Development on its eastern edge will need to be carefully designed and landscaped to ensure that there is a gentle and gradual transition between the village and open countryside to the east.
The village will contain a centrally located primary school and local centre to provide for the needs of its residents. As well as road connections, footpath and cycle links to the adjacent villages need to be direct and attractive to encourage residents to walk and cycle.
Given its setting, the design must consider the surrounding landscape and rural character by incorporating development gaps and strong landscaping.
As set out on the Local Plan Policies Map, the indicative route of the Wilts & Berks Canal may be located through this village and has the potential to provide a strong identity for the island and encourage greater connectivity with the neighbouring areas north and south.
Lotmead
This development area lies between Upper Lotmead and Lower Lotmead, and will include facilities such as a village centre and a primary school. Lotmead will be well connected with strong north-south and east-west vehicle links across the surrounding green infrastructure.
To the south west of Lotmead lies Durocornovium (a Scheduled Monument) and the historic route of the Roman Road. In addition the existing Wanborough Road, which connects Wanborough to Swindon, runs to the south.
The development structure of the village will be directed around the centrally sited and co-located primary school and village centre.
Redlands
The development of Redlands Airfield will need to deliver a high quality development which is respectful of the area’s character and setting.
In particular, it must ensure the graduated transition from the built form to the surrounding rural area, softening the edge of the development towards the non-coalescence area, which is defined in Local Plan Policy NC3 to protect the character and identity of Wanborough, Bishopstone and Bourton.
Redlands will include a primary school and other amenities necessary for a sustainable community to thrive.
Rowborough
Rowborough, the new neighbouring community to the east of the expanded South Marston village, will have its own distinct identity with strong landscaping and clear physical separation between the two villages, and a new neighbourhood centre with facilities that will complement those of South Marston.
The residential development will have a varying density from the centre of the development island to the rural fringe and the north-eastern edge should respond to the natural setting and the backdrop of Nightingale Wood.
Development will be defined by the provision of green routes that connect to Nightingale Wood to the north and east. This will enhance the rural character of the village with the woodland integrating with the village.
To the south and west, the open undeveloped stream valley to filter into the village layout via green space and grass verged streets, with additional tree planting and woodland giving visual separation from South Marston, and prominent green routes across A420.
South Marston Expansion
The village of South Marston lies adjacent to the northern site boundary of the NEV.
The expansion of South Marston village is identified within Local Plan Policy NC3, and will comprise a development of 500 dwellings within the NEV allocation. Development at South Marston must contribute towards the creation of an integrated village with a distinct and separate identity from Swindon and the wider NEV development.
In both form and design, new development will build on the existing village character and improve links to the surrounding countryside. This approach is supported by Local Plan Policy RA3 (South Marston) and the South Marston Neighbourhood Plan (‘made’ on the 9 November 2017).