Cabinet advised not to dispose of former nine-hole golf course in Highworth for £1

Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet will meet next week (17 July) to discuss the motion, which was agreed at last October’s Full Council meeting and requested that council officers work with Highworth Town Council to agree a long-term lease of £1 for the 102 acres of land to the south of Highworth, within 90 days.

However, Cabinet Members will be advised at next week’s meeting that the transfer of the land for £1 is unlikely to meet the Council’s obligation to achieve best considerations under Section 123 of the Local Government Act 1972.

No decision is being taken about the future use of the site at this stage and, in order to act in the best interests of the Council, the report advises that the site needs to be considered as part of the Council’s wider Estates and Assets review.

As part of that review, further detailed work would be carried out to ensure how a future use of the site would meet the Council’s three missions to support a fairer, better and greener Swindon.

Councillors will be told that three specific proposals will be worked up for the future use of the site. These include:

• modifying the site to provide a country park setting;
• a housing scheme with 400 residential units with 50 per cent affordable housing provision, with the remainder of the site modified to provide a country park setting;
• a housing scheme of 700 residential units with 50 per cent affordable housing provision, with the remainder of the site modified to provide a country park setting.

If the recommendations outlined in the report are approved by Cabinet, it is anticipated that future options for the site will be brought before councillors later this year.

Councillor Kevin Small, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Finance, said: “We are committed to promoting and delivering green open spaces for local residents and that is especially true in Highworth, but we also have a duty to ensure we carefully manage the Borough’s assets and ensure we get the best value for money for all local taxpayers.

“It is important to note that no decisions will be made on the long-term future of the site next week. The legal advice we have received is clear and I will be asking my Cabinet colleagues not to approve the motion put forward by local ward councillors as we need to fully explore potential options for the site as required under the Local Government Act.”