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Buscot Close, SWINDON, SN25 2EU

Typical of the mis-matches produced in the rapid expansion of Swindon in recent times. A 'city-style' apartment block overlooks a 'lego-style' primary school.

This example of the popular and much-loved fast food outlets is fairly new having been built since March 2007, the last time one of the Google Earth planes flew over. It is on the north-western corner of the large retail park, conveniently located for shoppers who have maxed out their credit cards at the nearby Asda Walmart, Next or Marks and Spencer's.

The signage is a little confusing when it comes to leaving the extensive retail park. You can reach the exit by ignoring the command on the road.

This being 25 December, the retail park is completely empty and barriers in place to limit access to only small parts of the car park. This time yesterday, around 13.30, this would have been a scene busy with cars and shoppers. The vast Asda Walmart store is in the background.

The McDonald's drive-thru is quite new and isn't yet on Google Earth, which was last updated in March 2007 at this location. This being 25 December, the retail park is deserted and the McDonald's closed.

Lady Lane is an old country road leading to the village of Blunsdon, which has now been engulfed for much of its length, by the ongoing massive northern expansion of Swindon. Here it is about to plough through some new residential estates. The roundabout is at the junction of Lady Lane with Sandstone Road, and Pennine Way. On the pillars are 20 mph speed restriction signs. These are frequently found in Swindon's new residential areas, and probably will eventually become the norm everywhere.

The retail park is totally deserted today. I imagine 24 hours earlier this would have total mayhem with last-minute shoppers at the nearby Asda Walmart hyperstore loading up their cars and abandoning their trolleys where they will. The houses in the trees are in Viking Close, north of Thamesdown Drive.

Better known as the Orbital Shopping Park, all the usual suspects are here. The park has 16 units totalling 212,000 square feet, 990 car parks and claims a footfall of 5 million per annum.

As the town of Swindon has continued its growth to the west and the north, the Borough Council has ensured that provision is made for new public houses to serve the new communities. Thus Swindon probably has had more new pubs in its suburban estates in the last two decades, than any other place of comparable size. Some of these pubs have been converted from farmhouses, others have been new build. The Blunsdon Arms in the north of Swindon is an example of the latter. It belongs to the Ember Inns chain and is the first time they have built a entirely new pub. Although of a traditional design, the pub has an attractive appearance, and seems to be gaining customers since it opened around 2006. As well as stocking several real ales, the pub has a restaurant. Although the pub's address is Thamesdown Drive, its access is from Lady Lane (the B4534). Like all Ember Inns, children under 14 are not admitted, and those 14 or over are only admitted if dining with an adult.