South Swindon parish

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South Swindon
Villetts House, Old Town, Swindon (geograph 3812137).jpg
Villetts House, Old Town
Wiltshire UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
South Swindon
Location within Wiltshire
Area16.04 km2 (6.19 sq mi)
Population62,871 (2021 census) [1]
•  Density 3,920/km2 (10,200/sq mi)
OS grid reference SU154851
Civil parish
  • South Swindon
Unitary authority
Ceremonial county
Region
Country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Places
List
Post town Swindon
Postcode district SN1
Dialling code 01793
Police Wiltshire
Fire Dorset and Wiltshire
Ambulance South Western
UK Parliament
Website https://southswindon-pc.gov.uk/
List of places
UK
England
Wiltshire
51°34′N1°46′W / 51.56°N 1.77°W / 51.56; -1.77

South Swindon, formerly Central Swindon South, [2] is a civil parish in the town of Swindon, in the ceremonial county of Wiltshire, England. The parish covers the southern part of the central area of the town, including the Old Town area, and extends south to take in Wichelstowe and Coate Water. In 2021 it had a population of 62,871.

Contents

South Swindon is the largest civil parish in the Borough of Swindon by population, and the sixth largest civil parish by population in England. The parish borders Central Swindon North, Chiseldon, Liddington, Nythe, Eldene and Liden, Stratton St. Margaret, West Swindon and Wroughton. [3]

History and governance

Prior to 2017, the areas which now form part of South Swindon were part of Swindon's non-parished area.

Following a Community Governance Review in 2017, [4] four new parishes were created on 1 April, covering all of Swindon's non-parished area. The parish was formed from part of the unparished area of Swindon and the parish of Chiseldon. [5] [6]

The parish was originally created with the official name of Central Swindon South. Representatives of the new parish unsuccessfully petitioned Swindon Borough Council to change the name to South Swindon in November 2017. [7] Despite refusal of this request, the parish chose to use "South Swindon Parish Council" as a trading name. [8] Following a renewed request in October 2023, Swindon Borough Council consented to formally change the name of the parish to South Swindon. [9]

The parish elects 23 councillors at elections held every four years. All elections to date have been contested on a party-political basis, and at the elections held in May 2023 all elected councillors stood for the Labour Party. [10]

The parish offices and council chamber are in the Broadgreen Community Centre in the town centre. [11]

Geography

The north-western boundary of South Swindon is formed by the Great Western Main Line, while the southern boundary is primarily the M4 motorway. The eastern boundary with Nythe, Eldene and Liden parish largely follows the Dorcan Stream (a small tributary of the River Cole).

The parish includes neighbourhoods and communities with distinct identities. These include Walcot, Park North and Park South, Badbury Park, Lawn, Coate, Old Town, and Swindon's urban centre. The East Wichel area of Wichelstowe is within the parish, while Mid Wichel and West Wichel are part of Wroughton parish.

Amenities

South Swindon covers Swindon's Town Centre area, which includes the town's main shopping district, as well as Swindon's Old Town which has further retail and leisure. All of Swindon's commercial theatre venues are in the parish (Wyvern Theatre, Swindon Arts Centre and MECA), as well as one of the town's three multiplex cinemas.

Swindon railway station is in the parish, as is Swindon's main bus interchange at Fleming Way,

South Swindon parish has direct responsibility for maintaining several of Swindon's most prominent parks, including Queen's Park, the Town Gardens in Old Town, and GWR Park in the town's historic Railway Village. The parish is also home to Coate Water Country Park, which is maintained by Swindon Borough Council. The former farmhouse at Coate, where the nature writer Richard Jefferies was born in 1848, is operated as a museum by a small charity. [12]

South Swindon Parish Council operates two public libraries which are integrated with the Swindon Borough Library Service. Old Town Library was transferred to the parish from Swindon Borough Council in 2017. [13] Badbury Park Library was opened in 2023. [14] Swindon Borough Council directly operates two further libraries in the parish; Central Library in the Town Centre, and Park Library at Cavendish Square. [15]

The parish directly operates community centres in Badbury Park and at Broadgreen in Swindon Central. Other community centres in the parish are operated by voluntary or community groups or by other organisations.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Swindon</span> Town in England

Swindon is a town in Wiltshire, England. At the time of the 2021 Census the population of the built-up area was 183,638, making it the largest settlement in the county. Located in South West England, Swindon lies on the M4 corridor, 71 miles (114km) to the west of London and 36 miles to the east of Bristol. The Cotswolds lie just to the town's north and the North Wessex Downs to its south.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Borough of Swindon</span> Unitary authority area in Wiltshire, England

The Borough of Swindon is a unitary authority area with borough status in Wiltshire, England. Centred on Swindon, it is the most north-easterly district of South West England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wroughton</span> Human settlement in England

Wroughton is a large village and civil parish in northeast Wiltshire, England. It is part of the Borough of Swindon and lies along the A4361 between Swindon and Avebury; the road into Swindon crosses the M4 motorway between junctions 15 and 16. The village is about 2.2 miles (3.5 km) south of Swindon town centre on the edge of the Marlborough Downs, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The town of Marlborough is about 11 miles (18 km) to the south, and the World Heritage Site at Avebury is about 7 miles (11 km) to the south.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chiseldon</span> Human settlement in England

Chiseldon is a village and civil parish in the Borough of Swindon, Wiltshire, England. The village lies on the edge of the Marlborough Downs, a mile south of junction 15 of the M4 motorway, on the A346 between Swindon and Marlborough. The large village of Wroughton is 2.5 miles (4 km) to the east. The parish includes the hamlets of Badbury. Badbury Wick, Draycot Foliat, Hodson, and Ridgeway View; the ancient manor of Burderop is also within the parish.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coate Water Country Park</span> Country park in Wiltshire, England

Coate Water is a country park situated 5 km (3.1 mi) to the southeast of central Swindon, England, near junction 15 of the M4. It takes its name from its main feature, a reservoir originally built to provide water for the Wilts & Berks Canal. Now named 'Coate Water Country Park', the lake and its surroundings are both a leisure facility and a nature reserve.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Badbury, Wiltshire</span> Human settlement in England

Badbury is a hamlet of the civil parish of Chiseldon in Wiltshire, England. It lies approximately 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) to the south of Swindon, close to the M4 motorway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wichelstowe</span> Human settlement in England

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Nythe, Eldene and Liden is a civil parish in the eastern suburbs of the town of Swindon, England. In addition to the residential areas of Nythe, Eldene and Liden, the parish has the Dorcan industrial area.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Swindon</span> Human settlement in England

West Swindon is a civil parish in the borough of Swindon, Wiltshire, England. In 2021 it had a population of 26,846.

References

  1. ↑ "Central Swindon South: population statistics, 2021 Census". CityPopulation.de. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  2. ↑ "Election Maps: Great Britain". Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
  3. ↑ "Central Swindon South". Ordnance Survey . Retrieved 28 September 2021.
  4. ↑ "Community Governance Review". Swindon Borough Council. 2 February 2017. Archived from the original on 22 February 2017. Retrieved 22 February 2017.
  5. ↑ "The Swindon Borough (Reorganisation of Community Governance) No.1 Order 2017" (PDF). Local Government Boundary Commission for England . Retrieved 28 September 2021.
  6. ↑ "Swindon Registration District". UKBMD. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
  7. ↑ Seaward, Tom (1 November 2017). "South Swindon Parish Council responds to name change block". Swindon Advertiser. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  8. ↑ "South Swindon Parish Council". Central Swindon South Parish Council. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  9. ↑ Thomas, Aled. "South Swindon Parish Council can change its name". Swindon Advertiser. Archived from the original on 16 October 2023. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  10. ↑ Hudson, Barrie. "The new make-up of Swindon's parish councils following elections". Swindon Link. Archived from the original on 17 May 2023. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  11. ↑ "South Swindon Parish Council Contact Us page". South Swindon Parish Council. Archived from the original on 20 November 2023. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  12. ↑ "Richard Jefferies Museum". www.totalswindon.com. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
  13. ↑ "South Swindon Parish Council Old Town Library". South Swindon Parish Council. 28 September 2021. Archived from the original on 28 September 2021. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  14. ↑ "New Badbury Park library in Swindon officially opens". 5 July 2023. Archived from the original on 5 July 2023. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  15. ↑ "Library locations and opening hours". Swindon Borough Council. Archived from the original on 21 November 2023. Retrieved 21 November 2023.

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