HAVE you travelled around Swindon lately? I have, and I am astounded to see the large number of derelict industrial sites and buildings.

A good example of this is the building at the junction of Drakes Way and the turning into the Greenbridge Retail Park.

Another is the old building almost opposite.

I know Swindon Council wants to develop the Front Garden, and always has. But why has it not looked at these derelict sites?

Each of these sites would hold a large number of new homes and if all the brown sites were added together they would go a long way to meeting the new housing quota always being espoused.

Does the council have a vested interest in developing new and green sites?

Or is it just arrogance to ignore the run down brown sites?

Could it be that the developers of the green sites only see the short term turn of a profit, and the council is too afraid of making a stand and saying to developers: "If you want to build, build on brown sites first".

It may be that I am unable to see the council's larger picture bu, to me, the present strategy makes little or no sense.

P L NEADS

Cranmore Avenue

Swindon