Ref. 29698-34AS plans unfold for a new Swindon Town stadium, local residents are becoming increasingly concerned about its impact and many are angry they could be denied green open space.

Thousands of trees have already been planted on the proposed stadium site at Old Shaw Tip between Rivermead and Sparcells and there have even been council-run tree planting schemes there.

Six years ago, it was promised to local residents as a community country park. But by 2006 it could be home to Swindon Town's new ground.

Ward councillor Nick Martin (Con, Shaw and Nine Elms) has received a number of calls from worried constituents and he also has grave concerns.

He said: "I think these plans are completely outrageous. This site has been dedicated for use as a community forest and that is what the local residents expect.

"We have been involved in remedial landscaping work and have planted thousands of trees and deposited one and a half million tonnes of soil and clay at this site.

"Now it would seem that Swindon Town and these property developers have aspirations to destroy all that.

"I know the residents of Sparcells were looking forward to seeing the forest develop. The views from their homes will be considerably different if these plans go through."

The football club, which first announced plans to move out of the County Ground last weekend, has not yet pinpointed the exact location of the proposed stadium.

But the council has admitted it would involve ripping up parts of the Great Western Community Forest.

Marie-Anne Henderson of Edgeworth Close, Shaw, will be particularly disappointed if the forest is bulldozed over.

She said: "I have been involved in a number of tree-planting schemes at the community forest.

"If these plans go ahead to build on it, it will be like the council agreeing to destroy all of our hard work.

"We were promised this as green open space.

"The stadium will bring the very opposite of all that noise, traffic and rowdy fans."

And as it is a brownfield site, there are also concerns about the levels of methane emissions.

One Purton Road resident, who did not wish to be named, said: "There are at least a dozen other sites across Swindon which would be more suitable.

"The developers are just trying to get a foothold on some cheap land.

"I really don't think these plans are right for the area.

"The area is abundant with wildlife and, given the chance, the forest could develop nicely and offer residents something special. I just can't see how the club and the council will make this viable."

The club has not announced exactly where the stadium would be built but yesterday Mark Devlin, chief executive of Swindon Town, urged the people of the town to keep an open mind.

He acknowledged that the club's proposals were bound to generate mixed opinions, but hoped concerns would lessen once the plans are available for public viewing. It is not yet known when this will be.

Emma-Kate Lidbury