45 homes plan rejected

Borough councillors have rejected plans to build up to 45 homes near Cheltenham next week.

Lioncourt Strategic Land wanted permission to develop a 10.2-acre field off Manor Lane in Gotherington.

The proposals included a mixture of 27 open market homes and 18 affordable houses.

And the proposed new homes would have ranged from two bed to five-bedroom houses and two new accesses would have been created onto the site off Gretton Road.

Developers argued that the new homes would help Tewkesbury Borough Council meet its housing needs but planning officers recommended rejecting the scheme, saying its harms outweigh the benefits.

Officers are concerned about the considerable amount of new homes that have been built in the village over a short period of time.

They believe adding more houses would have a negative impact on the social cohesion and wellbeing of Gotherington.

Gotherington Parish Council also opposed the proposals along with more than 130 residents.

Parish chairman Howard Samuels told today’s (August 17) planning committee meeting that the site was not set out for development and the surrounding area was prone to flooding.

He added that the plans did not respect the linear form of the village and were not in harmony with the surrounding area.

“The village has already exceeded the number of allocated properties,” he said.

“Many of our clubs and societies are at capacity.”

Councillor Samuels also raised concerns over the impact it would have on road safety and social cohesion.

Christine White, a local resident, also spoke against the plans and the impact it would have on the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

“The Gloucestershire Warwickshire steam railway sits adjacent to this site,” she said.

“Thousands of passengers each year enjoy the views of Nottingham Hill to the south.

“The views northwards towards Dixton Hill and westwards towards the Malverns would be ruined.”

Consultants working on the plans said the new estate would provide much needed local housing.

They say the development would create a logical “rounding off” of the village and a positive frontage to the setting of the AONB.

But councillor Mel Gore proposed rejecting the scheme and this was unanimously supported by the planning committee.