Should we exploit the motorway?

Wiltshire Council has approved what it calls a 'jobs led' planning document for the county. However a suggestion that the one spot in the county which would be most attractive for employers - junction 17 of the M4 at Chippenham - should be developed, was rejected by the council. So whilst Swindon profits from its position on the M4 corridor Wiltshire ends up with scattered employment allocations which are unattractive to potential employers.

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Here's a press release from the WC Lib Dem group:

Conservative Councillors yesterday rejected the published plans to explore the development of employment opportunities at Junction 17 of the M4 near Chippenham.

The proposals put before a special full meeting of Wiltshire Council included the scheme in the Wiltshire Council "Core Strategy" Document put before Councillors.

However during the meeting the administration announced that this should be removed as it was a "drafting error".

Speaking after the meeting Lib Dem leader of the opposition on the Council Jon Hubbard commented, "This is frankly quite astonishing. Today the Conservative Administration said that they felt that identifying this prime site as a potential location for new businesses in Wiltshire was a mistake.

"I want to see as many new employment opportunities as possible for Wiltshire residents, and anyone with any sense can see that locating a development such as a business park on a major motorway junction ticks all the boxes.

"As for saying this was a mistake, this was not a typing error or spelling mistake, it was a commitment to bring jobs to Wiltshire. Or maybe the Conservatives see bringing in jobs as a mistake?"

Councillor for Chippenham Monkton, Chris Caswill commented, "It is very disappointing to see this proposal dumped. Chippenham residents would certainly welcome new employment opportunities so close to the town."

The decision comes as Bristol and Swindon councils, along with Cardiff, are developing the M4 corridor into what Bristol council leader Barbara Janke calls, "The nearest thing Britain has to California's Silicon Valley." The presence of Toshiba, Intel and Hewlett Packard, together with the impetus for green technologies coming from Bristol and S Wales, means Wiltshire could either be involved in exciting new job-creating opportunities or, under the current Conservative administration, could be the place you have to travel out of to get to work.