New Identity for the SDA site, Swindon

1. New Identity for the SDA site, Swindon Objective Considerations The methodology Current position

2. Objective • To create a new identity which reflects the aspirations of the development partners, the surrounding communities and the characteristics that will distinguish the project.

3. Considerations • Community attitudes • The site in the context of its surroundings • Site characteristics • Historical context • Highways, Post Office,officers and members

4. Results of public consultation • A series of exhibitions to gather public concerns were held Feb/March 2002 by PPS. 1550 people attended. • WE IDENTIFIED SOME KEY THEMES FROM THE PREVIOUS PUBLIC CONSULTATION • Modern forward thinking • Historical/character • Local interest • International importance • Sustainability • Wildlife • Integration versus separation • Attracting people to Swindon/economic impact • To avoid any confusion of existing names with the new ones

5. The site in the context of its surroundings • Conflicting names • WEST LEAZE - WEST LEA • WESTCOTT PLACE - WESTLECOTT • Surrounding names in use • KINGSHILL • ELCOMBE

6. Site characteristics • Water • From the results of public consultation and the survey we conducted, there are concerns with the use of water as a theme, unless it specifically relates to the canals - a sustainable use of water throughout the site. • Archaeology • There is extensive medieval prevalence on the site - a sunken medieval farm with schedule ancient monument status - hedgerows and ridge and furrow landscape. • Natural environment • WHAT WILL THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT OF THE SITE HAVE TO OFFER THE COMMUNITY? • Nearly 58 hectares of community forest • 4 kilometres of new hedgerow and 4 kilometres of new canal • 73.6 hectare country park and wildlife corridors • Creation of 20 new ponds • 8 kilometres of new bridleway

7. Historical context • Railway • ALTHOUGH A KEY STAGE IN SWINDONS HISTORY, RAILWAY THEMED NAMES HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY USED • Roman • THERE IS NO OUTSTANDING ARCHAEOLGY OF THE ROMAN PERIOD ON THE SITE. • Medieval • There is extensive reference to the site - including sunken medieval farm, hedgerwos, ridge and furrow landscape • Medieval mills (formerly one at Westlecott) • Swindon was part of the Wessex Kingdom in medieval times

8. Other concerns • Highways • The Station/rail theme has already been used in previous road naming within Swindon • Consider how will people pronouce nameHow might people grafitti name ie. South Leaze… S..LeazeSignificant family names are not used if there are living relativesWhen 999 calls are made people easily forget postcodes • Post OfficeSimilarities with already established names • Officers and members • Officers and members need to be involved now in the process to shortlist names

9. The methodology • The briefThree routes came out of the research:1. Local importance/historic2. Community/local importance3. Sustainability • Evaluate existing research • We have considered public consultation and have extracted the key comments made for consideration in the process • We have had access to all the land and archeaological surveys presented to the developers, Wroughton Parish provided documentation about the history of Wroughton. • The survey • A survey was conducted by ourselves to gather views, knowledge and ideas to help develop the name and identity of the site.

10. Current position • Considerations • Conflicting namesHistory of sitePublic and key member research/suggestionsWe will now work with officers and members to go through a process of short listing names ultimately achieve a site identity name and names for the three residential areas and commercial area • The influencesThe medieval period has greatest relevance to the site

11. Thank you