Nine New Garages Planned in Swindon to Ease Parking Pressure

Swindon Old Town to Get New Garages as Parking Pressure Grows

Nine New Garages Planned in Swindon to Ease On-Street Parking Pressure Nine new garages are planned in Swindon’s Old Town in an attempt to ease pressure on on-street parking for local residents. The proposal concerns land behind 76 Avenue Road, where a purpose-built garage facility is planned to replace a disused garage and garden shed. New garages planned for local residents The application, submitted by Mehmet Guvercin to Swindon Borough Council, proposes nine garages intended for use by local residents. The council’s Highways department raised no objection, saying there was adequate turning space, acceptable access and safe visibility despite some minor setbacks. However, officers highlighted concerns about vehicle and pedestrian conflict on the narrow 230-metre cul-de-sac, which serves several homes as well as Lethbridge Primary School. The highways assessment said additional traffic would intensify existing pressures, although national policy and historic planning consents reduced the grounds for refusing the proposal. The development would provide a net increase of eight garages because an existing garage is being replaced as part of the scheme. According to the highways assessment, this would positively contribute to the local supply of parking. Garages must be used for parking The proposed development was considered by the Planning Committee after the local ward councillor requested that highway safety issues be examined. Fourteen objections were also received from nearby properties, with residents raising concerns about increased traffic, highway safety and the character of the surrounding conservation area. There were also concerns that the garages could potentially be used for business purposes rather than private parking. Planning approval was ultimately granted by the chief planning officer, subject to conditions controlling how the garages can be used. One condition requires the garages to be used only for storing private vehicles, with commercial use and storage of other items prohibited. Parking pressure remains a local issue The site sits along a lane where informal parking bays, small garages and residential garden boundaries currently form much of the surrounding streetscape. The lane also provides a secondary access route to Lethbridge Primary School for pedestrians and vehicles, adding to the importance of managing traffic and parking in the area. For residents dealing with limited on-street parking, the new garages are intended to provide additional private parking capacity rather than relying entirely on spaces on the road. For drivers who regularly struggle to find a suitable space, planning ahead and checking available parking options can also help reduce the time spent searching for a bay. EveryonesParking can help drivers find and plan parking before travelling, particularly when on-street spaces are limited or demand is high.