I grew up in St Albans, Hertfordshire but chose to make Swindon my home in the 1980’s and have raised my family here. My teenage son was born in Swindon and loves the Steam Museum and all the railway history.
I grew up in St Albans, Hertfordshire but chose to make Swindon my home in the 1980’s and have raised my family here. My teenage son was born in Swindon and loves the Steam Museum and all the railway history. Some of you may be aware that St Albans, like Swindon, has a historical significance.
It's imperative that we safeguard the future of Swindon’s historic environment and heritage assets.
So when I arrived in Swindon I was delighted to discover that the town had an equally proud heritage in its deep railway roots. The beating heart of any town or city is always the legacy of those who laid down the foundations for all future generations to follow. Therefore, it is also imperative that those responsible for the forward planning process in Swindon continue to safeguard the future of Swindon’s historic environment and heritage assets.
Swindon Borough Draft Local Plan sets out the town’s development needs until the year 2026. The government inspector came to Swindon in April for a hearing to establish the soundness of this plan. The hearing rather aptly took place at the Steam Museum. The inspector recommended that amendments were made to the Local Plan policy (EN10) that sets out the future of our heritage assets.
I am delighted to see that these amendments strengthen the town’s resolve to protect its heritage. Amongst the amendments are the following:
We should be grateful that the inspector understands the importance of heritage and has taken steps to protect the beating heart of Swindon. Let’s hope that the all these amendments are adopted in the Local Plan.