Consultation into housing proposals by Stroud District Council is criticised (From Gazette Series)

Consultation into housing proposals by Stroud District Council is criticised

9:30am Wednesday 17th March 2010 in

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A MAJOR consultation into the housing needs of the district has been criticised for being too difficult to respond to.

A campaign group fighting proposals for 70 new homes in Holywell near Wotton have taken matters into their own hands and have distributed a shorter questionnaire to local homeowners.

The survey is part of Stroud District Council’s Core Strategy, which looks at seven different options for placing 2,000 more homes in the district by 2026 - a target set by Government.

Residents are being urged to respond to the survey, available online or in paper format by Monday, March 22.

However many people have contacted the Gazette to say the online version is too complicated and long-winded.

Clerk of Kingswood Parish Council, Mary Leonard, said: "I have had residents contact me to say the internet survey is difficult to use and, having tried it myself, I have to agree."

The Holywell Farm Action Group also experienced problems with the online survey and found it difficult to get their hands on printed versions.

Group member Julia Fry said: "We decided that local people should be made aware of the situation and produced an abbreviated copy of the questionnaire, which we delivered to 300 properties in the immediate vicinity of the threatened land."

A council spokeswoman said: “Due to the complex nature of the survey, the online questionnaire will take some time to complete. There are also a number of supporting documents online and these provide a full background to help people comment. If people have difficulty accessing any of these or downloading the questionnaire we are happy to provide paper copies.”

Paper copies are available from all local libraries or the council will post questionnaires to individuals who request them.

Call 01453 766321 to request a paper copy or log on to www.stroud.gov.uk/core