Campaigners given hope (From Gazette Series)

Campaigners given hope

KINGSWOOD residents objecting to a planning application for three light industrial units, which they claim would seriously blight their lives, may have a glimmer of hope.

Residents of Charfield Road attended last month's meeting of Kingswood Parish Council to voice concerns about an application for land next to Abbey Mills trading estate.

People living near the site, who have campaigned long and hard for a footpath to enable them to walk into the village, said, if given the go-ahead, the development would guarantee more traffic.

Outline permission has existed on the site since 1986 and councillors told residents this campaign, like the one for the footpath, was not likely to succeed.

But during this month's meeting Kingswood Parish Council heard a report from Gloucestershire county councillor Dr John Cordwell stating the authority had recommended refusal on highway grounds.

"The reasons are given as sub-standard site access, substandard road - restricted width, poor alignment, lack of footways, substandard junction with the B4060 Wotton Road - and that the development would be contrary to sustainable development aims," he said.

At the December meeting parish council chairman Cllr David Hatton explained that

there was entitlement for the applicant to exercise the consent, which already exists, adding: "For planners to now say that the land cannot be development is not an option."

Stroud District Council has included the site in its local plan for use for light industrial purposes.

Principal planning officer John Balfe said it was unlikely planners would say something could not go there after allocating the site in the local plan.

"It is a little unusual that the county council would contradict the local plan," he added. "If they have raised highway objections, these would have to go before members who will then weigh up how strongly they feel about the objections.

"The site has been allocated in the local plan and Gloucestershire County Council was consulted on this plan. It would be difficult to now say that in principle the use of that land for light industrial use would not be acceptable."

The application will now go before the district council's development control committee in February or March.