Ref. Aerials-47CONTROVERSIAL plans to turn fields near Coate Water into houses and a university campus have taken a huge step forward.

A Government report published this week by an independent panel has given the go-ahead to the divisive development.

It says that the development of the new campus for the University of Bath in Swindon along with 1,800 new house on land between the Great Western hospital and Coate Water is appropriate and provides a good basis for development over the plan period of 1996-2016.

Coun Mike Bawden, leader of Swindon Council, welcomed the report saying: "It is good to have a clear way forward on the site for the University of Bath in Swindon, but this is only the first step of a very long term project."

"We are still waiting for the University of Bath to get a decision from the Government on funding for the project."

A spokeswoman for the University of Bath in Swindon said: "We welcome the news that the independent panel is supporting the plan for the University campus to be included on the Coate site.

"We believe it is essential that Swindon's major campus should be situated next to the new hospital so that health professionals, academics and students will be able to work closely together, and so we are glad to learn of the panel's recom-mendation."

For campaigners, the announce-ment has come as a bitter blow.

Jean Saunders, Friends of the Earth campaigner said: "We just can't let this happen. It's the most devastating thing that can happen, to its environment, to its history, and to the most beautiful part of the whole town."

Swindon Council and Wiltshire County Council are now examining the panel's report and there is due to be a further round of consultation on any changes to the plan before it is adopted in 2005.

In another blow to cam-paigners, the panel also recommends that there should be provision for another 1,250 homes to be built on the west side of Swindon, although exact sites for these developments are yet to be identified.

However the panel reports that it does not support the potential development of a site east of the A419 and south of the A420 Oxford Road between South Marston and Wanborough for the future growth of the town and that it should only be considered after 2016.

Plans for the university are still subject to a detailed planning application and may be called in by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minster, John Prescott.

Main points:

Government report into developments in Wiltshire gives the go-ahead for a new university campus and 1,800 new houses at Coate

The report does not support the potential development of an area east of the A419 between South Marston and Wanborough for the future growth of Swindon

The report also recommends the provision of 1,250 new homes at sites on the west side of Swindon, although those sites have not been identified.

There should also be a new policy to give greater prominence to the regeneration of Swindon's town centre.

The protesters' view

JEAN Saunders, Friends of the Earth campaigner and one of the leading lights behind the Save Coate campaign, described the panel's decision to back Coate as the best site for a university as "the worst thing to happen to Swindon."

She said: "We are not giving up we have now got more than 12,000 signatures against developing Coate.

"We just can't let this happen. It's the most devastating thing that can happen, to its environment, to its history, and to the most beautiful part of the town.

"Next to Coate Water is simply not appropriate place for any development full stop."

Mrs Saunders said the university's wish to be on the Coate Water side of Dayhouse Lane would blight the area, and also said that it would not aid any regeneration of the town centre.

She urged Government planners to concentrate on regenerating northern and Scottish towns which have brownfield sites, rather than towns such as Swindon which are surrounded by greenfield sites.

She said: "This growth is being forced by migration by job seekers coming to Swindon. It's not accommodation and jobs being built for people who live there."

Dennis Eatwell, a retired farmer from Day House Lane said: "I don't know why they have to interfere with the open the countryside. We have been here since 1976 and now they want to put it all under concrete."

His wife Patricia said: "I wish they would keep as it is, there are plenty of houses across the area, why do they have to build on these green fields."

The politicians' view

SWINDON'S politicians have mixed views on the scheme.

North Swindon MP, Michael Wills who supports the development of the University of Bath in Swindon campus said that the decision was not a guarantee the project would go ahead.

He said: "This is a step forward but this is by no means a guarantee that the campus development will happen.

"Had the inspector not given the go-ahead, then the university would have had to have a major re-think about where to site the campus.

"There is still the detailed planning process to be carried out, which will be done by the borough council and we still have to fill a funding gap of £50 million before this begins."

Mr Wills pointed out that the detailed planning applications were still subject to scrutiny by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and John Prescott, who can call in the plans at any time during the detailed planning stage.

South Swindon MP Julia Drown said she was disappointed with the decision about Coate but pleased with other findings of the report. She said: "I am disappointed at this decision by the independent inspector since I am very much aware how much people living in my constituency value the green fields."

"However I am pleased that the inspector has recommended greater prominence and that they have not supported development east of the A419."

Anthony Osborne