DURSLEY residents objecting development on the town’s green escarpment received an enormous boost when the county council’s highway department submitted a rare recommendation for refusal.

The recommendation is an uncommon move for highways at Gloucestershire County Council, who only recommend refusal if a proposed development would cause ‘severe disruption’ to the local network.

Those standing in opposition to Mark Snook Planning’s outline application for 27 homes on land off of Hardings Drive are delighted with this latest development, with some regarding it tentatively as an early indicator of success in front of the Stroud District Council’s development control committee.

Development coordinator for the council’s highways department Oliver Eden submitted his representation in relation to the Mark Snook application on Wednesday, March 18.

Following his assessment of the impact the development would have on roads in the area Mr Eden ultimately recommended refusal on the grounds of lack of information.

The report reads: “Insufficient information has been submitted to allow the highway authority to sufficiently assess the likely impacts of the proposed development in accordance with paragraphs 32 and 35 of the National Policy Planning Framework (NPPF).”

County councillor for Dursley Steve Lydon was thrilled with the news and what it meant for those objecting the proposed development.

He said: "This is excellent news. It’s very rare for the Gloucestershire County Council’s highways department to oppose applications as the guidance given to them by Government in the NPPF is that proposals must cause severe disruption to the local network.

“As the Dursley county councillor I welcome the view given by the county."

Throughout the report Mr Eden mentions lack of information in relation to issues of visibility from a house on Hardings Drive.

He also notes that there is no detailed analysis of the likely movements of road users, both in and out of vehicles, and that no evidence is offered of existing traffic volume within the local network.

Mark Snook Planning submitted an application for outline planning permission for 27 on the land in early February.

Defend Dursley’s Green Escarpment, a community action group that formed to protect the land following a statement of intent in 2013.