Transport concern (From Gazette Series)

Transport concern

TRANSPORT is top of a list of concerns by civic leaders who have met to discuss a major housing development in Dursley.

A wishlist of facilities on the Littlecombe site (formerly Lister Petters at the bottom of Long Street) has been drawn up following a special meeting of Dursley and Cam councils.

Ann Leanry, clerk to Dursley Town Council, said: "The general agreement between councillors was that Littlecombe shouldn't be a satellite town and that it should complement both Cam and Dursley."

Both councils have agreed to a route through the site which will act as a bypass for Silver Street.

Mrs Leanry added, however: "Equally we would like consideration to be given at the other end of the bypass because you don't want traffic coming through there and into Cam having nowhere to go.

"It is no good moving a pinch point to somewhere else."

Both camps want buses to access the site and for footpaths and cycle ways to be considered. They intend to make sure efforts will be made during construction to cope with site traffic.

Councillors would also like to see a contribution made to provision of education and health because of the large influx of people expected.

Other issues raised at the meeting included jobs being made available before houses are built, affordable housing, provisions for encouraging small businesses, leisure facilities and maintaining local wildlife in the area.

The joint councils' wishlist is now winging its way to Stroud District Council to be reviewed before St Mowden developers submit a planning application.

Cam chairman Cllr Dennis Andrewartha told the Gazette: "I think the most important thing about this meeting was that we were discussing this as one community rather than two.

"I think it was good that we had our say on what the community needs from the development, particularly with regards to the effect it will have on the surrounding infrastructure."