The visuals preview properties at Orchards Rise, part of the wider Wichelstowe development on the town’s southern edge. The second and final phase will include a mix of two, three, four and five-bedroom homes.
Developers say the first properties are expected to be released for sale in the spring, with residents able to move in during the summer.
The images have also reopened a wider discussion around housing design at West Wichelstowe, where large parts of the development are now complete.
Some residents have previously criticised completed streets for a uniform appearance, citing repeated house types, similar materials and near-identical layouts. Critics argue this can result in neighbourhoods lacking visual identity and character.
Supporters of large-scale developments say consistency allows homes to be delivered more quickly and helps keep prices lower. Others question whether long-term placemaking and community identity are being sacrificed.
The designs shown for Orchards Rise appear to introduce greater variation in form and detailing compared to earlier phases. This has prompted debate over whether future phases may signal a shift towards more character-led design.
Construction at Orchards Rise is being overseen by site manager Clyde Cocking, a two-time NHBC Pride in the Job Award winner. Developers say this provides assurance around build quality and standards.
Louise Ware, sales director for David Wilson Redrow South West, said the new phase is expected to mirror the success of earlier homes.
“The launch of Orchards Rise in 2022 came as welcome news to house hunters looking for high-quality, energy-efficient homes. The first phase is now completely sold and I’m confident this new release will emulate the success we’ve already experienced at Wichelstowe,” she said.
“We’re extremely proud of the communities we’re creating at Wichelstowe, and it’s great to see the neighbourhood continuing to grow just as we envisaged.”
Wichelstowe is being delivered by Barratt Homes Bristol and David Wilson Redrow South West in partnership with Swindon Borough Council.
Over a 20-year period, the scheme is expected to deliver around 3,000 new homes, along with schools, community facilities and employment space.
The 250-hectare site includes nature conservation areas, playing pitches and allotments. Plans also include around 12 kilometres of new nature trails, play areas, approximately 200 acres of open space and routes alongside the Wilts and Berks canal.
Junction 16 of the M4 and Swindon railway station are both within a ten-minute drive, offering connections to Bristol and London.
As Wichelstowe continues to expand, questions around individuality, variety and architectural ambition in large-scale housing developments are expected to remain a focus for local residents.
The East Wichel section of Wichelstowe that was built first has many different styles of housing, really attractive and with lots of character, it’s quite disappointing to see that the more recent ones neing built haven’t carried on in the same vein and seem to have gone the way of a typical new housing estate with many houses looking similar, it lacks the villagy feeling of the original East Wichel.