The Council Chamber was packed and the overflows of protestors were put in another room with video link. The Labour and Lib Dem councillors on the planning committee wanted the planning application to be refused. However further debate led to a motion by the Conservative group to defer making a decision. Councillor Heenan (Conservative) said that we need more time to establish good planning grounds to refuse planning permission in order to put a successful argument to any planning appeal. The issue of the "safe" buffer was a key issue for councillors. None were convinced that it would be protected in perpetuity.
So the result is good - but there is still an emerging policy that supports the development area in the Swindon Core Strategy that must be deleted. The document will be out for public consultation in April.
The cynics say that the delay is just a ploy by the Conservatives to leave making a decision until after the elections in May.
We shall see...
