Information for residents and prospective residents of East Wichel
East Wichel, built on the site of Westlecott Farm, is the first part of the Wichelstowe housing development to the south of Swindon.
East Wichel has over 800 houses and flats plus a school, a few shops and offices and a pub.
By September 2011, over 400 homes were occupied. Marston’s Taverns opened a pub-restaurant in May 2012.
The community centre opened in July 2013. A dentist opened in the main shopping parade in November 2018 and a Co-op food store in late January 2019. A fish & chips takeaway joined in August 2019.
A feature of the development is that restrictions — the ‘Wichelstowe Design Code’ — imposed by the planning authority require most houses to have a different external appearance: no more than two houses in a row look identical.
The restrictions also require most houses to be behind a small railed front garden, whilst each parcel of housing must contain some larger houses, some cottage-style houses, and a barn-style apartment building.
A couple of other restrictions are that external TV aerials and satellite dishes are not permitted — so the whole estate is linked by fibre‑optic cable —
and, from October 2016, street parking has been forbidden in most places, though not strictly enforced.
The design code for the remainder of Wichelstowe is expected to be very different, allowing a wider range of building styles and materials.
East Wichel Community Association. Existed as an informal group from 2009, until formally constituted as a charity in 2012. The association also has a group on Facebook. Meetings are held irregularly but at least once per year. See our community association page for minutes of previous meetings. The community centre is currently closed in accordance with government guidance.
Unitary council for Swindon. Until the roads are adopted, services relating to streets (road maintenance, lighting, roadsweeping) are provided by Taylor Wimpey rather than the council.
Parish council for central and southern Swindon, including East Wichel but not the rest of Wichelstowe. Official name is ‘Central Swindon South Parish Council’ which everyone, including the parish council, think is unneccesarily complicated.
East Wichel Neighbourhood Partnership
East Wichel Community Group. A partnership of Swindon Borough Council, Sovereign Homes and The StoweAway. Replaced by East Wichel Community Association when that was formally constituted in 2012.
East Wichel Community Primary School. Opened in temporary buildings at Croft in Old Town for reception year children only, but moved to its new building in East Wichel from September 2011.
Public house / restaurant that opened on 28 May 2012, run by Marston’s Taverns. From Saturday 26th December 2020 closed until further notice owing to government restrictions.
Tattoo studio relocated from West Swindon to Trevello Road in East Wichel in early February 2019. Closed from Thursday 31st December 2020, in accordance with government restrictions.
Dental practice with two dentists providing both NHS and private services. Occupying the unit at the Trevello Road end of East Wichel’s shopping parade, Unit A Staldon Court. Opened 5th November 2018. In accordance with government guidance open for pre-booked appointments only but also offering advice over the telephone.
Food store in the main unit of East Wichel’s shopping parade, Unit E Staldon Court. Opened 9 am on Thursday 24th January 2019. Open 7 am – 10 pm Mondays to Saturdays and 8 am – 10 pm on Sundays.
Fish and chip takeaway in Unit D Staldon Court. Opened 4 pm on Monday 19th August 2019. Currently open from 4 pm to 9 pm Mondays to Saturdays and also 12 noon to 2 pm on Tuesdays to Saturdays. Orders should be pre-booked (online or telephone), owing to government social distancing restrictions, though orders at the door are accepted.
Licensed restaurant in Unit C Staldon Court. Opened on Tuesday 4th February 2020. From Friday 1st January 2021 open for takeaways only, Fridays to Sundays 10 am to 8 pm owing to government restrictions. Orders can be placed online or by telephone to 01793 683415.
Hair and beauty salon that opened in Unit B Staldon Court on 29 September 2020. Closed from Thursday 31st December 2020, in accordance with government restrictions.
Jessica’s Hair & Beauty
Hair (unisex) and nail salon that opened on 9 November 2013 in Trevello Road and closed on 1 September 2018, citing lack of customer parking as a problem.
The main housing developer at East Wichel. Taylor Wimpey completed house building and sales in the spring of 2017, and now only have the making up of roads to complete.
Other commercial housing developers at East Wichel:
Barratt and David Wilson are both trading names of one company, BDW Trading. Barratt Homes completed development and closed their sales office in November 2013. David Wilson Homes completed development and closed their sales office in May 2013.
Operators of the Number 11 bus service through East Wichel. The buses run between Oakhurst and East Wichel via Haydon Wick, Pinehurst, Swindon town centre, Old Town and Pipers Way. From September 2013 until January 2017 they operated the Number 15 bus service to East Wichel.
Operators of the Number 9 bus service between Wroughton and Swindon town centre via Middle Wichel, East Wichel and Old Town. From April 2011 until September 2012, they ran the Number 73 bus service through East Wichel.
Utilities
Full details of the ownership of the utility networks under the streets of East Wichel are on our utilities in East Wichel page.
Owner, operator and supplier of mains water and sewers in East Wichel. Homes in East Wichel are eligible for a rebate, as surface water drains into the canal and drainage ponds, not into the water company’s sewer. You will need to apply for the rebate: Thames Water do not give it automatically.
BUUK Infrastructure
Most utilities in East Wichel are owned and operated by subsidiaries of BUUK Infrastructure (formerly Brookfield Utilities UK).
Gas and electricity can be bought from any suppliers willing to do business with BUUK Infrastructure subsidiary Gas Transportation Company (GTC): this is all the ‘big six’ utility companies but not all smaller suppliers. For the moment, telephone, broadband and cable TV and radio can only be bought through the two BUUK Infrastructure subsidiaries and five other independent suppliers listed below.
Suppliers of telephone & broadband services over East Wichel’s optic fibre network. From 15 July 2014 this is a trading name of Independent Fibre Retail Limited, a BUUK Infrastructure company.