Wiltshire & Swindon Structure Plan 2016

The Wiltshire Structure Plan 2016 was adopted in April 2006 covering the plan priod from 1996 - 2016. The Structure Plan was prepared jointly by Swindon Borough Council and the Wiltshire County Council as the strategic planning authorities. The Structure Plan sets out a strategic planning framework dealing with issues such as the scale, pattern and broad location of housing and employment development across Swindon and Wiltshire, including the protection of the built and natural environment. It also sets transport priorities and incorporates policies relating to tourism and renewable energy.

With the enactment of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 structure plans became obsolete, to be replaced at the regional level by Regional Spatial Strategies and at the local level by Local Development Frameworks.

The adopted Wiltshire Structure Plan can be downloaded as a series of pdf files:

2016 Plan Explanatory Memorandum and Written Statement Text 1,478KB

2016 Plan Key Diagram 241KB

2016 Plan Swindon Insert Diagram 135KB

In accordance with the Planning and Compulsory Act (2004), the Structure Plan was only in place until April 2009. An application was made to the Secretary of State to 'save' those policies that need to be retained until the new South West Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) and/or core strategies for Wiltshire and Swindon are in place.

The Secretary of State subsequently issued a direction in respect of policies in the Wiltshire and Swindon Structure Plan 2016. A copy of the direction is available to download below, along with the schedule of saved policies  and an accompanying letter.

Saved Policies Direction (1.3 MB)

In accordance with the transitional provisions of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, on 1 April 2009, a number of policies have effectively expired and no longer form part of the development plan for Wiltshire and Swindon. These are:

• Policy DP10C  - University Campus and Mixed Use Development: Swindon
• Policy C7 - The New Forest
• Policy W3 - Provision of Adequate Waste Facilities
• Policy DP14 - Housing, Employment and Related Development in the Open Countryside
• Policy MS8 - Offshore Oil and Gas

Swindon Principal Urban Area Study

The Swindon Principal Urban Area Study was a key part of the Structure Plan Review to 2016. The outcome of this study was reflected in Policies DP10A, 10B and 10C, of the Adopted Structure Plan.

Other Structure Plan Background Papers

Housing Background Paper 224KB

Employment Land Background Paper 167KB

This web page was last updated on Tuesday 18 August 2009.