Date set for Mill Lane closure

A sign has appeared at the Old Town end of Mill Lane stating that the lane will close permanently from 26th April. The road will initially close to all traffic where it passes under the old railway line path, whilst a turning area for vehicles is constructed. It will then reopen for pedestrians and cyclists only,

Plans for 182 homes between Waitrose and East Wichel Way

The joint venture between Swindon Borough Council and Barrett Developments have submitted plans for the first part of their ‘Wichel Fields’ development. This is the area between Mill Lane and Foxham Way, filling in the field opposite the end of East Wichel Way. The development will have 182 houses and apartments, including eight houses for

Parish council plans for a thicket of trees

South Swindon Parish Council have been approached by Earthwatch UK with a proposal to create a thicket — which Earthwatch brand a ‘Tiny Forest’ — in an area near to the East Wichel play park. The proposal would involve planting 600 trees in an area the size of a tennis court. The idea is based

Staldon Road set to close at school run times

The road outside East Wichel Primary School will close at school-run times from February or March, if plans by Swindon Borough Council get approved. The council has opened an ‘informal consultation’ on its plan for a ‘School safe environment zone’. The proposal would see Staldon Road close for 75 minutes every morning and afternoon, Mondays to

Christmas 2020 and New Year 2021 services

The following services will operate in East Wichel over the Christmas and New Year period. Waste and recycling collections There’s very little change to waste and recycling collections in East Wichel this Christmas, with most collections happening on their usual scheduled days. The only changes are Garden waste There will be no garden waste collection

La Beauté completes the parade

From today, just over two years since Jessica’s Hair & Beauty closed in East Wichel, residents will again be able to get a hair cut without leaving East Wichel. Hair salon La Beauté is opening on Tuesday 29th September in Unit B of Staldon Court, between Copacabana Brazilian Kitchen and Wichelstowe Dental Care. Twenty months

East Wichel play park set for a makeover

East Wichel’s six-years old play area is to be improved by South Swindon Parish Council. Since the parish council took over the play areas in its area from Swindon Borough Council, it has had a rolling programme to upgrade them. Although at the time it was described as being high quality by the borough council’s

February road closures

Getting out of Wichelstowe towards the west could be difficult in the second half of February. Mill Lane will be closed from 15th to 23rd February between Waitrose car park and the bridge over the motorway to allow works on nearby houses being built. The traffic calming on Mill Lane will also be replaced at the same

Christmas and New Year services

The following services will be available in East Wichel over the Christmas and New Year period. The Stowe Church Carols by Candlelight Christmas Eve, Tuesday 24th December, 4.30pm to 5.30pm at The StoweAway. A traditional and peaceful start to Christmas. Waste and recycling collections Monday 23rd December and Christmas Eve, Tuesday 24th December The waste

Police seek witnesses after Bentley abandoned in East Wichel

A police helicopter circled over East Wichel for a long time early on Sunday afternoon, after a high speed chase along the M4 motorway. A Bentley was reported driving at high speed between the two Swindon junctions of the motorway at 1.30 pm. The police gave chase and the car left the motorway at the West

Taylor Wimpey to prepare roads for adoption, again

In a letter sent to local councillors but not yet to East Wichel residents, Brian Peers, the Adoptions Manager at Taylor Wimpey, says that they will be starting work, again, preparing the roads in East Wichel for adoption. Taylor Wimpey have started work on East Wichel’s roads many times before and never seem to get

Private medical clinic proposed for East Wichel

A private cosmetic treatment company has submitted plans to convert an empty shop unit in East Wichel into a private medical clinic. The company, Anna Medical Aesthetics Ltd, wants to convert the ground floor of a building on Trevello Road into a clinic with 3 or 4 treatment rooms. The proposal says that the treatment

Almost £23 M approved for Wichelstowe M4-link tunnel

The government has announced that funding for the link road between Wichelstowe and Junction 16 of the M4 motorway has now been given final approval. Provisional approval had been given in May 2018, with the funding originally announced in July 2014. The link includes a short tunnel under the M4, with the road joining Hay

Parking restrictions to be enforced – again

After a gap of almost three years, the East Wichel Restricted Parking Zone will once again be enforced by Swindon Borough Council. As confirmed by the council in March this year, the parking restrictions are extended to the mews areas. From Monday 30th September 2019, any vehicles not parked in a designated parking space, either

Half Marathon road closures

Swindon Half Marathon is running this weekend on Sunday 22nd September. As in recent years, the race will go along Blackhorse Way, which will be closed eastbound from 8 am to 2 pm. Blackhorse Way will remain open westbound, towards Waitrose and Wootton Bassett Road, but the crossings out of East Wichel will be closed, except for

East Wichel fields set to become urban meadows

Two fields near East Wichel are one of twelve locations that will benefit from a project being run by Swindon Borough Council with Wiltshire Wildlife Trust. The scheme, called the Forest Meadows Project, is funded with £80,000 over three years from developer contributions and other grants. The project is intended to give local community groups,

Off to a frying start – Wichelstowe Fish Bar opens

Despite our scepticism a few months ago, today Wichelstowe Fish Bar opened. With Swindon Borough Council’s deputy mayor, Councillor Garry Perkins, cutting a ribbon just before 4 pm, East Wichel’s newest business opened its doors and got off to a brisk start. They offer all the usual fish & chip shop options, including pies, battered sausages,

Not quite time for a fry-up

Whilst it’s definitely good news that a fish and chip shop is expected to open in East Wichel, the time for a fry-up might be further away than the press release this week from the property owner suggests. That press release, replicated in most of the local press, tells us that a deal has been

Local council elections 2019

Polls are open tomorrow in East Wichel, Thursday 2nd May, for elections to two councils — Swindon Borough Council and Central Swindon South Parish Council, also known as South Swindon Parish Council. For Swindon Borough Council, there are five candidates standing for one councillor vacancy. Nick Burns-Howell (Conservative Party) Jason Costello (UK Independence Party) Neil