Inquiry into green fields campus

The public have already been consulted on the plans

A public inquiry in January will decide whether a new university campus should be built on green fields near Swindon.

The University of Bath wants to build the campus, which will house 8,000 students, on land between the Great Western Hospital and Coate Water Park.

Some residents have protested that it could harm the landscape.

The land is near junction 15 of the M4, next to a science park, and remains the preferred location of Swindon Borough Council.

Swindon's Civic Trust wants the campus to be built at an alternative site in the town centre.

The University of Bath has said this would not meet its accommodation needs.

Public consultation has already taken place on the plans, which the university says complements its existing campus for 3,500 local and regional students at Walcot in Swindon.