THE proposal to put 1,500 new houses on a green field site next to the M5 is of a very dubious origin.

The scheme was added to Stroud District Council’s local plan at a very late stage in spring 2019.

Much of this land has been classified as Grade 2 arable land for many years. Wheat, maize and barley have always been grown there. Grade 2 land is rarely used for building because it is considered a national asset.

The developers have obtained a report downgrading this land to Grade 3(b). This appears as a simple way of overcoming any objections, however, people’s memories, and the current land use, easily counters these arguments.

Potential traffic problems concerning this site have been ignored. Fifteen years or so ago, a proposed filling station close to Slimbridge roundabout was turned down because of the increased traffic volumes, by Gloucestershire County Council. One wonders how this roundabout will cope with the new volume of traffic from these houses and the new houses in Cam.

Very little planning has been paid to the obvious problems of sewerage, land drainage and the quality of life for the potential residents living next to the busy and noisy M5. Even banking will not be able to stop the noise, as the local residents now know.

One would have thought a professional developer would have put forward these plans for commercial gain. But no, this scheme has been put forward by Gloucestershire County Council and the Earnest Cook Trust, a charitable organisation promoting farming. In normal business, this type of sharp practice is viewed unacceptable but to have your local council and farming charity riding roughshod over the views of local people is truly astounding.

Mike Stayte

Cambridge