Cam targeted for 1,000 home development (From Gazette Series)

Around 1,000 homes planned for Cam by 2031 in Stroud District Council's Local Plan

5:15pm Thursday 7th March 2013 in News By Daniel Chipperfield

CLOSE to 1,000 homes could be built in Cam over the next 18 years as part of the district’s local plan.

At Stroud District Council's planning advisory panel meeting on Tuesday (March 5), councillors grudgingly set specific areas for concentrated, large-scale development to meet future housing needs.

Up to 950 homes have been provisionally earmarked for construction in the north east of the parish.

The number of houses being built was a matter of fierce debate at Ebley Mill as councillors were unhappy with the 2,725 to 4,960 homes allocation set for the district by 2031.

At the meeting, Cllr Brian Tipper (Con, Cam East) said he wanted to see a balance of jobs and homes in Cam, and for jobs to come first.

"The report talks about Cam and Dursley train station as an advantage. It is an advantage but we do not want houses built here, people moving in to then take the train out of the district to work," he said.

Cllr Paul Smith (Lib Dem, Wotton-under-Edge) said: "The problem with Cam is that there’s no direct access to the M5 and I think that’s going to be a major problem."

Planning advisory panel chairman, Cllr Dennis Andrewartha (Lib Dem, Cam West) said connectivity would be a problem for the parish and for Stonehouse, where up to 2,000 homes are expected to be built.

Before the meeting, former chairman of CARE (Cam Against Ruining the Environment) Ken King said he did not believe it was the right course of action.

"That’s a lot of people to employ. There’s still a lot of infrastructure they have to think about," he said.

Initially thought to be an area for housing, Sharpness has been sidelined for more industrial development, which many councillors objected to including leader of the council Geoff Wheeler (Lab, Dursley).

"I live in Dursley and we have accepted a number of housing developments and it has done a lot to sustain the area," he said.

"I think we need to look at Sharpness and Berkeley areas for development. Berkeley has been on the decline, they have lost their hospital, their police station and their secondary school."

The final submission and formal adoption of the local plan, the framework for the growth of the district, is hoped to be completed in the summer of 2014.