Unhappy over plan for flats (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Unhappy over plan for flats

AN Old Town businessman wants to turn his house into 11 flats. And Gael Mackenzie, who owns the Locarno and Mackenzie's bar, also wants to build another four flats in the garden of his Bath Road house.

But residents in Bath Road and Lansdown Road think the development would spoil the character of Old Town.

Karen Freakley, 35, lives on Lansdown Road with her partner David Baker, 40, and their two-year-old daughter Anna.

If Mr Mackenzie gets the go-ahead for his plans, the new buildings would back onto the rear of Miss Freakley's house.

"It just seems that in Old Town there are so many apartments popping up all over the place," she said.

"I am all for people being entrepreneurs and making a living but I think it is a shame. It is about the whole character of Old Town.

"It is a nice house in Old Town. Swindon hasn't got too many nice big houses.

"I think it would be detrimental to Old Town."

Miss Freakley is worried about her house being overlooked by the new flats and also about the alley behind Lansdown Road being used by extra cars.

"The passageway is used by parents walking their kids to school," she said.

"And this would increase the number of cars coming out onto Eastcott Hill, near to the bend where cars come round quickly."

Miss Freakley, who works for a packaging and design company in Cheltenham, has written to the council to object and her letter was signed by nine other residents.

It raised issues including car parking, the demolition of a Victorian coach house on the site and the possibility that if approved the development would lead to similar applications from other Bath Road residents, damaging the area.

"Having lived in Old Town for the best part of 30 years, and having moved away and chosen to come back here because we like the character of the area, we would feel very disappointed and let down if this development goes ahead," she wrote.

Mollie and John Tanner, who have lived on Bath Road for more than 50 years, are also against the plans.

"It is changing the attitude of Old Town," said Mr Tanner, 83.

"It is the oldest main street in Swindon and this is altering the whole of the environment."

Mr Tanner was also concerned about increasing traffic on the alley behind Lansdown Road.

A spokesman for Swindon Council said the authority had received 15 letters of objection to the plans.

The authority has until December 27 to make a decision on the plans.

It has not yet been decided whether the application will be dealt with by officers or considered by the planning committee but the number of objections means it is likely to go to committee.

Mr Mackenzie was not available for comment.

Isabel Field