Local residents attend Parish Council Meeting to oppose New Towns

Carmelo Garcia – Local Democracy Reporter

Villagers turned out in force last night (February 17) to oppose “absolute madness” plans for a new town near a traffic pinch point on the outskirts of Gloucester.

More than 50 people packed Churcham Primary School to voice their opposition to the Forest of Dean District Council’s local plan.

The new blueprint will set out where new development can take place over the next 20 years.

The District Council has been set a new target by the Government and the latest local plan aims to provide more than 13,000 homes over that time.

And the creation of two new settlements is being proposed to help meet the new target.

One would be off the A40 in Churcham with 2,000 homes and the other off the A417 in Redmarley with 3,500 dwellings.

However, this has sparked strong opposition from residents in both areas.

Villagers who attended the parish council meeting raised serious concerns over the impact around 9,000 extra cars will have on the roads and the A40 in particular.

There are also concerns about the potential for thousands of extra homes being built on the other side of the border with Tewkesbury Borough at Highnam.

During the meeting, Paul Thomas said one of the reasons the Churcham site was put forward is because of the bus lane at Highnam.

“Anybody with local knowledge knows that that bus lane terminates at the bridge,” he said.

“So everything is going to squeeze over the River Severn. So unless we actually have another bridge or some way of mitigating that, it’s pompous.”

He said the parish council has highlighted the traffic problems there.

“If you look at the roundabouts, you can turn right into Gloucester,” he said.

“It looks like we’ve got two lanes, but everybody who goes in there in the morning realises one of them is for everything trying to go down by the Docks.

“Then if you look at the other roads they’re single lanes. Single file.”

He said it was “absolute madness” to put “a load of houses on one of the most strategic pinch points”.

“What planet are they on? You know, the roads are already over capacity. Anybody stuck for an hour and a half in the morning, realises that.”

Residents also raised concerns about flooding, the lack of local infrastructure, shops and whether Gloucestershire Royal Hospital and other health services would be able to cope with the extra demand.

There were also comments criticising Green councillors for going against their own party’s policies and Labour councillors in the Forest for supporting their administration’s plans.

The council’s Green leadership is facing a vote of no confidence over their handling of the local plan at a meeting in Coleford tomorrow (February 19).

Council leader Adrian Birch (G, Tidenham) has said the new housing target has been imposed on them by the Government and it is nearly double the amount previously needed.

The District Council has been robust in its response to ministers in appealing against the new housing numbers unfortunately to no avail, he previously said.

“Without an approved plan, the council would have very limited control over where development happens, leaving developers able to submit speculative planning applications that the council would struggle to defend,” Cllr Birch previously said.

“We know this is a major challenge for a largely rural and environmentally sensitive area like ours.”

The council is inviting all residents to share their views on the draft local plan and is inviting landowners to come forward with sites they believe could have potential for future development.

Those who wish to put forward sites to be considered in this year’s review can download a form from the council’s website to do so.

Residents wishing to comment on the local plan can do so by email localplans@fdean.gov.uk or writing to the council to the Forest of Dean District Council to provide their views to Forest of Dean District Council FAO Local Plans Team, High Street, Coleford, GL16 8HG.

The District Council has been approached for further comment.

Local residents attend Churcham Parish Council meeting to object to New Towns