Busy year ahead delivering vital services and new projects
Making long-lasting repairs to local roads, cracking down on fly-tipping and bringing growth to Swindon are among Swindon Borough Council’s priorities in 2026.
Published: Tuesday, 30th December 2025
In March, the Council will set out how it will spend up to £6m in 2026/27 to upgrade and repair Swindon’s roads, as part of a 45 per cent increase in Government funding for road maintenance totalling £30m over the next four years.
Meanwhile, a dedicated enforcement team will be doubling down on cases of fly-tipping. Wherever possible they will be gathering evidence to issue fines and pursue prosecutions. The team also have the power to seize and crush vehicles used in waste crime.
On Monday, 19 January, the main pool, new gym and changing rooms of the Health Hydro will reopen following completion of the first phase of refurbishment work.
By the end of January, work will have begun on the demolition of the former bus station with a design code for a high-quality regeneration scheme being developed for the wider Kimmerfields site with a view to securing a new developer. Part of the site is also earmarked for a new regional entertainment venue in the town centre, with work ongoing to explore funding options and the best way to make success over the long-term.
February will see council-run engagement events to get feedback from communities in Penhill and Walcot East on how they would like to spend up to £20 million each over the next decade, through the Government’s Pride in Place programme. The events will build on the Council's work to engage with and listen to residents through recent and future Let's talk Swindon events.
The year will also see the Council create new SEND schools places and the outcome on a planning application to create Wichelstowe Community Sports Hub is also expected.
The draft Swindon Local Plan is due to reach another milestone, moving towards a Regulation 19 consultation and eventual examination by a Planning Inspector.
The Local Plan outlines how Swindon will meet the Government’s housing targets, which requires the delivery of 1,205 new homes each year, totalling 24,100 homes by 2043. While most of these homes are already earmarked for major developments such as the New Eastern Villages and Wichelstowe, the Plan identifies the need to allocate land for an additional 7,000 homes to meet future demand.
In 2026 the Council will also be unveiling an investors prospectus and new economic growth strategy as part of progressing its Heart of Swindon vision to reinvent the town centre and bring jobs and investment to Swindon.
It will also be publishing a new strategy on how it intends to maintain and improve Swindon’s much-loved country parks following a great response to its public consultation in 2025.
Leader of the Council, Councillor Jim Robbins, said: “2026 will be an exciting year for Swindon. We are looking forward to progressing several projects which will drive growth in our town and see us continue to talk to residents about initiatives in their communities.
“From reopening the Health Hydro to fixing local roads and attracting new investment, we're putting Swindon back on the map. Change is underway and 2026 promises to deliver more of the same.
“We know the financial challenges are tough, but we will not shy away from our responsibility to make Swindon a fairer, better and greener place to live. This is about investing in our communities, protecting our heritage, and building a future where everyone can thrive.”