The Structure Plan for the next ten years as recommended for adoption has one policy which states in essence that brownfields will be used in preference to greenfields and another which states that land in the northern area, brownfields and the southern development area can all go ahead at once.

The Rural Buffer policy is changed to one for buffers, leaving the extent of each buffer to be defined in the Local Plans.

The aim of planning is to afford some degree of certainty and to avoid conflict.

However, if the current wording is adopted on November 21 at County Hall and November 23 in Swindon it seems we are in for a long period of confusion, conflict and unnecessary expense for council tax payers.

Government guidance is clear about urban brownfields being used before greenfields.

Members of the public have also made their views clear, but these do not seem to be being taken into account.

Why lose the rural buffer when there is no evidence of any need to do so?

There are still over 6,000 houses to be built in the northern development area and some 3,600 on brownfield land and buildings. These have been given a boost by the pre-budget speech.

Instead of being chopped into fragmented buffers, with development creeping in between them, a single, extended rural buffer is needed to help to ensure that the impressive and imaginative plan for the town centre becomes a reality instead of being pushed onto the back-burner while yet more greenfields are taken.

Erosion of an already small buffer could mean that it can no longer fulfill its role of protecting the separate identities of towns and villages.

Small changes to the wording could remove uncertainties and make all the difference.

The vote on 23rd will be crucial.

CHARMIAN SPICKERNELL

Council for the Protection of Rural England

Wilts Branch Vice-Chairman

St Joseph's Place

Devizes