Houses, houses every-where in our green and pleasant land, half way between London and Bristol

Is it all our planners fault or did it start much further back with the dreams of a Bristolian named Brunel, when he wanted somewhere to build and service his iron horse?

At the time this piece of rural land was just the job, half way between London and Bristol. It had a supply of food and farm products within easy reach and also labour to staff the factory.

Villages around Swindon gave housing for the workers and it was just what he needed.

All that has happened is that planners decided to fill in the green spaces with houses, factories and storage units, all very necessary and needing roads with calming devices to link them together.

It is not long since Swindon had groups of villages around, Purton, Stratton St Margaret, Blunsdon and Haydon Wick, all of these and many more now lost in the sprawl called Swindon.

Back in the 60s the housing and planning department made sure that there was a green belt surrounding Swindon when did we agree to change this policy? It looks at the moment that if it is green let's build on it! Does this mean that those men in the big houses have plans to destroy our one and only breathing space, the front garden?

Will our planners spoil the last of our green valley?

Should we fight to try to change their minds or allow progress to overtake the beauty of the front garden?

T G CHILD

Swindon