Rejected plan may force rethink on development (From Gazette Series)

Rejected plan may force rethink on development

BERKELEY could be saved from a 300-home development after all because of the rejected Gloucestershire Structure Plan.

Last night Stroud District Council was expected to defer the debate on the Local Plan inspector's report to allow the implications of the rejected Structure Plan to be assessed.

Cllr Barbara Tait (Con, Painswick), SDC cabinet member for planning, said: "These could have a major bearing on our Local Plan. We really need to properly digest the contents of these directions before moving forward."

The Government Office for the South West rejected Gloucestershire County Council's Structure Plan because it did not have enough emphasis on urban development.

Cllr Tait added that more new homes had been built or committed to in the year up to the end of March than had been expected.

This means that, once the figures have been checked, fewer homes may be required in the future than previously thought.

Jean Stanton, from the Association of Berkeley Residents Against Insensitive Development (ABRAID), said: "We are hopeful that this means that chances will be made to the proposed modifications and the threat to Berkeley will go.

"However, we have been hopeful before and have had our hopes dashed."

Stroud District Council was last night expected to propose that the Local Plan be discussed at its annual meeting on Thursday, May 19.

In practical terms the delay should only be around two weeks.

The new figures would have to be checked before being put to the public - now they will be ready before the May meeting.

Speaking prior to last night's meeting, Green party councillors welcomed the news that the issue was expected to be deferred.

Cllr John Marjoram (Green, Stroud Trinity) said: "We have been calling for the council to produce some alternatives to the inspector's report - we hope this is now going to happen."

Cllr Martin Whiteside (Green, Thrupp), who is also the party's General Election candidate for Stroud, criticised the inspector's report and called on all parties to look for a solution.

He said: "We must be prepared to stick up for what is right and not just give in to numbers imposed by central government and the recommendations of an inspector who is unelected and does not even live in the district.

"I hope all the political parties will stand together and work to find better alternatives.

"The people and landscape of the Stroud district deserve better than this."