Decision over Highworth golf course housing plans to stand
The "extraordinary meeting" was called after some opposition councillors cited issues with how the decision to progress the plans to the next stage was made, including that it was not clear whether the cabinet had read the report on the matter.Mr Robbins said it was "simply untrue" to suggest they had not read the papers and "knew nothing about the issue".Closed in 2019, the golf course land has been owned by the council since the 1970s.Some resident groups and the town council want the area to officially become a nature park.
According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, at some points, the meeting became heated, with chairman councillor Dale Heenan warning some members of the public after intemperate outbursts.Borough councillor Steve Weisinger asked for the decision to be returned to the cabinet, but only after the Build a Greener Swindon policy and performance committee had discussed and produced a detailed report on the matter.Highworth ward member Nick Gardiner said the decision was "legally shaky, financially short-sighted and environmentally backwards", saying the loss of green open space would have a negative impact on residents and asked for it to be returned for reconsideration.However, councillor Kevin Small, the cabinet member responsible for the plan, said "even with 700 houses", around "58 per cent of the site will remain as green open space".Mr Heenan pressed Mr Small to assure the committee that no final decision on houses would be taken before a further report was made to cabinet, Mr Small confirming the cabinet would make the final decision.The committee voted to confirm the cabinet's decision with voting falling along party lines.
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