THE Front Garden's destiny now lies in the hands of Mr Prescott. Saturday's mammoth meeting was not to decide on whether houses should be built there that was agreed years ago. Saturday was about whether the plan to build 4,500 homes is the right one.

Swindon Council has now said officially that it believes this is the right blueprint for the area.

Let us hope that the planning experts' views are right. They will be rigorously checked by the office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

It is almost unprecedented for a greenfield site to be developed like this, but there is no point in arguing about whether the fields should go. That principle, rightly or wrongly, has been established.

What we must concentrate on now is the detail. It may seem odd to have to obliterate the meadows of the Front Garden when the Northern Development is not yet finished and areas of wasteland lie dormant around town.

Business leaders will tell you Swindon has a skills shortage which needs addressing to keep the town prosperous. Developments on the scale of the Front Garden rectify these situations.

Above all, even those most passionately opposed to building on the Front Garden and we respect their passion and determination must help so this necessary evil produces some good.