The future of the former Highworth Golf Centre is once again in the spotlight, as Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet prepares to debate a proposal that could see the site transformed into a major residential development with up to 700 homes.
Set to be discussed at the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday 4 June, councillors will consider three possible uses for the former nine-hole pitch and putt course. Top of the list – and recommended by council officers – is a housing-led scheme that promises not only to generate significant funds for the Council but also deliver as many as 350 affordable homes for local people.
Under this preferred plan, nearly 60 per cent of the site – around 23.8 hectares – would be retained as public open space. This would include a dedicated nature reserve and parkland covering 18.8 hectares, along with further land allocated for recreational use such as play areas, sports facilities, and allotments.
The two alternative options under consideration focus more heavily on environmental preservation. One proposes converting the entire site into a nature reserve or country park, a vision shaped by a joint business case from Highworth Town Council, local residents, Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, the National Trust, and Swindon Community Forest. The other middle-ground option includes a scaled-back development of 400 homes alongside a retained natural reserve.
Despite the community-spirited proposals, council officers have steered towards the 700-home option, citing the need for greater financial returns and a stronger delivery of affordable housing as key justifications. According to Councillor Kevin Small, Cabinet Member for Finance, the proposal is designed to strike a balance between addressing Swindon’s budget pressures and meeting housing demand.
“It is almost a year since we asked officers to carry out a detailed options appraisal,” said Cllr Small. “We’ve worked closely with the Town Council to ensure their vision for a nature reserve has been included. I fully understand this recommendation will not sit well with those who enjoy using the open space. But with the pressures we’re facing, we must make decisions that benefit the wider Borough.”
No final verdict will be made at the upcoming meeting. Instead, councillors will decide whether to give the green light to move forward with pre-application discussions, to test the planning viability of the 700-home scheme.
Swindon Borough Council’s website contains further information on the three options. Residents can also watch the Cabinet meeting live via the Council’s YouTube channel on 4 June.
Whether the land becomes home to hundreds of families, or remains a wild retreat for nature and walkers alike, the fate of this much-discussed space is far from settled.
