Politics & Council · Swindon
Old Town storage unit plans withdrawn following road safety and security concerns
By Swindon Now Editorial Team · Published
Proposals for a new storage facility in Old Town have been scrapped after the developer withdrew the application amid significant local opposition and council objections.
Plans to build a series of storage units on a vacant brownfield site in Swindon's Old Town have been officially withdrawn. The proposal, which sought to develop land behind 8-14 Newport Street, was abandoned following a wave of objections from local residents and formal intervention by the council's highways department.
The application, submitted by Mr S Holmes in September 2026, sought permission for 11 storage units across 172.07 square metres of land. While the applicant intended for the structures to feature block and stone walls with tiled roofing, the project drew sharp criticism from those living nearby in Dewell Mews. Residents highlighted concerns regarding potential anti-social behaviour and the security of their own homes. One objector pointed out that the height of the proposed units could create an easy access point for intruders into the gardens of adjoining residential properties.
Beyond security fears, neighbours raised issues regarding potential noise pollution. Concerns were cited about the disruption likely to be caused by frequent vehicle movements, loading and unloading activities, and the noise of doors and gates operating at all hours. Some residents also requested greater clarity on how the site would manage drainage and how the construction might impact existing trees and neighbouring garden spaces.
Swindon Borough Council's Highways department ultimately recommended that the application be refused, citing significant safety risks. In their report, officials noted that the access point onto Newport Street is already heavily constrained, located through an existing building frontage directly next to a signal-controlled pedestrian crossing. The report stated that the access is only approximately 3.5 metres wide and suffers from limited visibility, which poses a clear danger to pedestrians in a high-traffic area. Furthermore, the council noted that the applicant had failed to provide any assessment of the likely vehicle activity, making it impossible to determine if the development could be operated safely.
The council's Environmental Health team also indicated that the submission lacked sufficient information to confirm the development's suitability, leading to further requests for documentation that remained unaddressed. While one local resident on Cornwood Road had submitted an impartial observation expressing support for clearing the brownfield site, which has long been used for fly-tipping, the weight of the objections proved decisive. Following these concerns, the application was withdrawn on Sunday, October 4, 2026.
Source: Swindon Advertiser - Lifestyle · View original