STFC Stadium Development

Swindon Borough Council’s Position Statement

‘Swindon Borough Council supports the concept of a community sports stadium and leisure facility in the borough. The Swindon Town Football Club and St. Modwen Properties Plc partnership has identified the Old Shaw Tip area as their preferred location for a stadium development.

At this very early stage the Council would like to reassure local people that it is aware of the issues that such a proposal raises like traffic access, impact on the environment and implications for the Community Forest. Before making any commitment to the partnership we will be looking very carefully at how the developers will seek to resolve these issues when they come forward with more detailed proposals.

It is important to remember that regardless of the fact that the Council owns the land identified, it has a statutory duty as the local planning authority to consider any proposed development. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, which has the power to assume the role of decision maker in any planning application where issues are raised of more than local significance, protects the public’s interests.

Swindon Borough Council remains committed to making public open spaces and outdoor amenities more accessible to local people. We also acknowledge particular concerns, for example trees that may have been planted in remembrance. The Council would like to stress that it will look at any proposals very carefully to see how developers will deal with all the issues.’

Agreed by Leader of the Council, Mike Bawden, Director of Environment and Property, Celia Carrington and in accordance with the views of the Labour Group and Liberal Democrats.