Next phase of Wichelstowe development reaches significant milestone

A total of 616 homes will be built after Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet last night (8 Oct) agreed to authorise the transfer of the next phase of land. This will see the completion of the Canalside and Wichel Fields developments located in Middle Wichel as well as The Orchards development in West Wichel.

The new homes will range from one-bedroom apartments up to five-bedroom detached properties. Of these, 94 homes will be offered to new residents as either shared ownership or affordable rent through an affordable housing provider.

This phase will also see the completion of the primary road network through Wichelstowe with Wichel Way, connecting the site from east to west. An expansion of the canal network is also planned, with the phase including the connection under Mill Lane.

The open spaces around the site will continue to be improved with new footpaths installed and the next phase of the boardwalk extending south to pick up connections into the new housing parcels.

Sustainability remains a key focus with homes built to the latest standards, including modern building techniques such as timber frame construction and energy generation features such as photovoltaic panels. Every home will also have an electric car charging point available as standard. The developed areas will continue to provide homes for Wichelstowe’s wildlife, with this phase seeing hundreds of swift bricks, bat boxes and hedgehog highways provided and hundreds of street trees planted.

The approval also triggers the start of work to design the final phase of Wichelstowe which will be known as The Meadows.

The Wichelstowe development is being built by Barratt Homes Bristol and David Wilson Redrow South West in partnership with Swindon Borough Council which will deliver 3,000 new homes along with new schools and community facilities. The 250-hectare site on the southern edge of Swindon will include extensive open spaces, nature conservation areas, playing pitches and allotments.

Councillor Matty Courtliff, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing and Property, said: “I am really pleased my Cabinet colleagues agreed to authorise the transfer of land for this next phase of the development as it represents another significant step forward for Wichelstowe.

“These new homes, together with improved infrastructure, green spaces and affordable housing, will help meet local demand while continuing to build the vibrant and sustainable community that has been taking shape over recent years.

“With the final phase now moving into the design stage, we remain firmly focused on delivering one of the UK's leading urban extensions right here in Swindon.”

Russell Glimstead, Barratt Redrow Regional Managing Director for the West region and Wichelstowe LLP Board Chair, added: “This is a crucial next step which sees the completion of the new communities which have been taking shape over the initial six years of the Wichelstowe partnership.

“We’re excited to deliver this phase and also to look ahead and start planning the development in The Meadows.”

Picture: Councillor Matty Courtliff, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing and Property (left) with Russell Glimstead, Barratt Redrow Regional Managing Director for the West region and Wichelstowe LLP Board Chair, in front of the next phase of the Wichelstowe development