A CAMPAIGNING group that fights to keep a village a village is engaged in a new battle with a housing developer.

The Keep Kingswood a Village group is objecting proposals for a new Crest Nicholson housing development near the new Chestnut Park, in Kingswood.

The group believes the planned development for 59 houses will have a detrimental effect on the village, impacting negatively on the sense of community shared by its residents.

The new houses, proposed to be built near Kingsood Village Hall, have come under attack on a number of different grounds.

Residents have complained that the village will struggle to maintain the increased traffic, that sports and activities at the village hall will be killed off and that the specific type of housing in the plan is not what is required by people in the area.

Chairman of Keep Kingswood a Village Professor Patricia Broadfoot said: “The village can’t absorb another 59 houses.

“They’ll cause serious harm to the village by choosing to build houses in that location.”

Crest Nicholson have applied for outline planning permission for the houses and a new access road. The results of the application will be decided by Stroud District Council in a few weeks time.

Keep Kingswood a Village are urging those who agree with them to raise their objections with SDC before early October, regardless of whether or not they live in Kingswood or nearby.

Prof Broadfoot continued: “We just want to encourage people in local villages who care to write to Stroud District Council and express their objections.

“We want to find people that support our feeling that villages in this country are growing too quickly. “

54 members of the community in Kingswood attended a public meeting to show their support for Keep Kingswood a Village.