A CONTROVERSIAL proposal for a new housing development was met with more concern and objection following a public consultation yesterday.

St Modwen presented their revised plans for a 300-home mixed use site linking Cam and Dursley on September 2 in the Methodist Church, in Dursley.

The Dursley Town Council meeting that followed gave councillors and members of the public the opportunity to raise their issues with the development.

The updated proposal for development on the Littlecombe site reduced the number of dwellings from 600 to 300, and included 110 extra care units.

The two major objections were centred on lack of employment and loss of the long stay car park at the back of Long Street.

Many councillors and members of the public feel that the extra care units and a small retail area on the site will provide only a few skilled jobs, exacerbating the level residents commuting to work outside of the area.

Removal of the long stay car park will affect residents on Crest Nicholson estate, people who work in the town centre and weekend visitors.

A handful of residents involved in sport and community groups spoke at Tuesday’s council meeting regarding their objection to the loss of parking.

Chairman of Dursley Bowls Club Simon Farrant said: “Because of the typical age of participants in our sport and the weight of the bag containing four bowls, all lawn bowls clubs need access to parking in close proximity to the green, both for their own members and for visiting teams.

“In view of the extremely detrimental effect that this change will have on this community resource we would ask the town council to do everything within its power to remedy this situation.”

Speakers from the Chantry Centre in Long Street and South Cotswold Ramblers gave similar objections.

Deputy Mayor Clare Nelmes said: “Parking and employment are the two issues I have. We need to get those issues in at this stage.

“We are desperately in need of both and need to arrive at a solution. We will become a commuter if we don’t provide employment.”

Town clerk Helen Bokaniwska gave a statement on behalf of DTC.

She said: “We appreciate St Modwen and Stroud District Council coming to the meeting and look forward to working with them in the future.

“The main issues are employment and parking and we will move forward in discussions with SDC, St Modwen and the Neighbourhood Development Plan Steering Group.”

Representatives of St Modwen said they would take the public’s concerns on board and look into the issues contained in their responses to the consultation.