Residents of a Wiltshire village say their homes are set to be ‘destroyed’ as GreenSquareAccord announces plans to double house numbers.

A proposal has been put forward to demolish 13 housing association homes in Brinkworth, between Swindon and Chippenham, and rebuild them as 26 new affordable and energy-efficient homes.

GreenSquareAccord (GSA) assures it has written to all residents who will be affected, and if plans go ahead it will support residents in securing temporary or permanent housing options and offer them a new build home once construction is complete.

But those living in Brinkworth say they feel ‘neglected’ and ‘upset’ by the plans, and have launched an online petition titled 'save our community, save our homes' to try and stop it.

“I'm in one of the houses that are to be knocked down first if the planning application gets approved and we could be put into temporary accommodation for 18 months,” said Louise Rayne, whose home in Brooklands is set to be demolished.

“This temporary accommodation could be anywhere and they said we would get one of the new houses, but the rate will go up, the house will be smaller and so will the garden."

Many residents on Brooklands moved there for the large gardensMany residents in Brooklands moved there for the large gardens (Image: Google Maps)

She added: "When we heard this news from GreenSquare Accord, it horrified families causing anxiety and stress at the thought we could lose our homes.

"Some were born here, others have lived here for a long time and some moved here for the big gardens for their children to enjoy."

According to GSA, all impacted customers have been visited by the team at GSA and each have a named GSA contact for customers to express any concerns or ask questions.

If plans go ahead, impacted residents will also receive statutory home loss payments, in accordance with current legislation.

13 of these homes could be demolished and rebuilt as smaller houses.13 of these homes could be demolished and rebuilt as smaller houses. (Image: Google Maps)

A spokesperson for GSA said: “As a not-for-profit social housing provider it is our duty and responsibility to make the best use of our land and resources to provide quality, energy efficient, affordable homes for the many families and individuals across Wiltshire who desperately need a home.  

“The proposals at Brinkworth would see us increase both the quantity and quality of much-needed affordable housing in the village.

“The size, infrastructure and facilities within the village will be carefully considered as part of our planning process.

"We recognise consulting our customers and residents in Brinkworth will be crucial and we welcome the opportunity to discuss any concerns at the forthcoming public consultation on Tuesday 3 September.

"We will listen to feedback we receive from the consultation and seek to reflect the community’s views wherever possible."