News Articles
17 May 2017: Gloucestershire Live - Why has the A40 ground to a halt near Gloucester?
Motorists are facing a slow and painful journey into work after a stretch of the A40 ground to a halt during the rush hour. Traffic was at a snail’s pace from the Longford roundabout towards the Elmbridge Court roundabout. But today, possibly linked to the closure of the M5 motorway after a van crash, traffic was far worse than usual
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16 May 2017: Gloucestershire Live - D-Day looms for massive developments of 2,000 homes north of GloucesterThe fate of plans to build more than 2,000 homes north of Gloucester will be decided next month
Of note: The fate of plans to build more than 2,000 homes north of Gloucester will be decided next month. The developments, which would effectively link Innsworth and Twigworth together, would also feature new primary schools a business park and a community centre and form part of the Joint Core Strategy - the masterplan to build 35,000 new homes by 2030. Locals have criticised the home building plans, raising concerns about the impact on traffic and drainage, and planning authority Tewkesbury Borough Council said it would have rejected the Innsworth plans if they had the chance. The decision on whether to allow the two developments now lies in the hands of a planning inspector, who will begin a public hearing in Bristol on June 20. Councillor Graham Bocking, Tewkesbury borough councillor for the area (C, Innsworth with Down Hatherley) is among those opposing the plans. He said: "I recognise the fact that we need housing, but it's not called a flood plain for nothing. Mr Bocking, who recently floated the idea of moving Gloucestershire Airport and building the houses there, added: "With the appeal the transport is going to be one of the biggest issues, with the sheer volume of traffic that it would generate." Twigworth and Innsworth were both affected by the flooding in 2007.
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17 March 2017: Gloucestershire Live - "Hands off our airport": Reaction to calls to move Gloucestershire Airport and build homes
Of note: There were calls this week to move the airport and build a 'garden village' in its place – an idea which would further close the gap between Gloucester and Cheltenham. Tewkesbury borough councillor Graham Bocking (C, Innsworth) said the idea could relieve pressure on surrounding greenfield sites in Innsworth, Twigworth and Churchdown currently earmarked for hundreds of homes and bring in around £5million a year in council taxes. The site was identified for potential development of up to 3,500 new houses in the early stages of the Joint Core Strategy. But this idea was later dropped in favour of building hundreds of homes in Innsworth, Twigworth and Churchdown. Mr Bocking said the airport land is worth more than £300million, and council tax payers subsidise flying activity by more than £400,000 per year. He said: "The airport site is big enough to take much of the housing currently proposed at Innsworth, Twigworth and Churchdown. It is a far better location, next to the A40 and the main commuter route. It doesn't flood. "It is vital that the councils now step up and act in the public's interest rather than just responding to developers' wishes."
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20 February 2017: Europe Breaking News - What’s the state of play with the Joint Core Strategy?
Of note: As been years in the making but the long and tortuous progress of the major housing plan for the northern half of Gloucestershire has reached a major milestone. All three councils involved in its development, Cheltenham Borough Council, Tewkesbury Borough Council and Gloucester City Council, have approved the interim plan put together by the Planning Inspector Elizabeth Ord. The plan details sites around the three councils’ areas where large scale housing developments of at least 500 houses can be built. The councils have been told by the Government they need to find room for 35,000 houses in their areas to be built by 2030. Progress had hit a snag at the end of 2016. In Inspector Ord’s interim report released last year she had recommended that Twigworth near Tewkesbury was suitable for about 1,000 new homes. That didn’t find favour with residents who think the propensity for flooding in the village means it isn’t the best place for the houses and in its meeting to discuss the recommendation, Tewkesbury borough councillors said they didn’t want Twigworth to be in the JCS and rejected it. That led to tension with the other councils in the partnership. The JCS is important to all three authorities and needs to be agreed before they can agree their own local plans.
https://www.europebreakingnews.net/2017/02/whats-the-state-of-play-with-the-joint-core-strategy/
17 February 2017: The Guardian - New homes eroding green belt 'at fastest rate for 20 years'
Of note: The CPRE accuses councils of altering green belt boundaries to accommodate housing at the fastest rate for two decades, and the government of facilitating the practice.
Paul Miner, the CPRE’s planning campaign manager, said: “Councils are increasingly eroding the green belt to meet unrealistic and unsustainable housing targets. The government is proposing to encourage further development in the green belt.
“Our green belt is invaluable in preventing urban sprawl and providing the countryside next door for 30 million people. We need stronger protection for the green belt, not just supportive words and empty promises.” He said brownfield land could provide at least 1m new homes, and the government should empower councils to prioritise such sites. The number of houses planned for the green belt is up 25% on a year ago. Greg Clark, the communities and local government secretary, to approve the building of 1,500 new homes on the green belt between Gloucester and Cheltenham – one of the biggest green-belt developments for a decade - as evidence that the government is not living up to its promises. A spokesman for the Department for Communities and Local Government said it was not relaxing protections against “inappropriate development” on the green belt. “Ministers have repeatedly been clear that demand for housing alone will not justify changing green belt boundaries,” he said. “Councils are already expected to prioritise development on brownfield sites, with 90% of brownfield sites expected to have planning permission by the end of this parliament.
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8 February 2017: Gloucestershire Live - What's the state of play with the Joint Core Strategy?
Of note: As been years in the making but the long and tortuous progress of the major housing plan for the northern half of Gloucestershire has reached a major milestone. Progress had hit a snag at the end of 2016. In Inspector Ord's interim report released last year she had recommended that Twigworth near Tewkesbury was suitable for about 1,000 new homes. That didn't find favour with residents who think the propensity for flooding in the village means it isn't the best place for the houses and in its meeting to discuss the recommendation, Tewkesbury borough councillors said they didn't want Twigworth to be in the JCS and rejected it. Steven Jordan, leader of Cheltenham borough council even floated the idea of Cheltenham and Gloucester going it alone. But in a subsequent meeting Tewkesbury backtracked and all three councils now have interim plans. The two-month public consultation on the JCS will begin next week.
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8 February 2017: Gloucestershire Live - Gloucestershire councils could lose millions if JCS falls through
Councils in Gloucestershire could lose more than £3million if the Joint Core Strategy plan is not put in place. Should this happen, Tewkesbury Borough Council would be worst hit, with a potential loss of £3.2million from their budget each year. The budget of Tewkesbury council is currently £9.9million per annum, meaning they could lose a third of their money. Elaine MacTiernan, (Con, Northway), Tewkesbury Borough Councillor, said: "If we lose the new homes bonus from the government it would be dangerous for this council. The meeting at Tewkesbury Borough Council was for approval of the entire JCS plan with a lengthy debate on whether a site at Twigworth would be included. Mike Dawson, Tewkesbury Borough Council's chief executive and senior responsible officer for the Joint Core Strategy, said: "Tewkesbury Borough Council members had previously expressed concerns about including the proposed land at Twigworth in the JCS. "However, the planning inspector had advised the JCS councils that there needed to be good land use planning reasons for not including the Twigworth site; otherwise this could give rise to a soundness issue. "After considering the latest evidence available on flooding, highways and land availability, the decision was made to support the inclusion of the site as there was no planning reason why Twigworth should not be allocated."
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3 February 2017: Gloucestershire Live - A38 Partially Closed
A motorcyclist has collided with a car on a major Gloucestershire roundabout.
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31 January 2017: Gloucestershire Live - Don't build houses at Twigworth, says world-renowned expert
Of note: Council officers are wrong to promote nearly 1,000 houses for land at Twigworth, according to a world-renowned water expert. Professor Ian Cluckie, a emeritus professor in the College of Engineering at Swansea University and an expert in flood control, has backed the view of those campaigning against the proposal has said Twigworth should not be used for a large-scale housing development. Tewkesbury Borough officers said they feared the JCS would not be sound unless the Twigworth allocation was included and insisted that flooding fears could be overcome.
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31 January 2017: Gloucestershire Live - Plans for almost 1,000 homes in Twigworth put back in the Joint Core Strategy
Of note: Despite protests outside council offices Twigworth was placed back in the controversial Joint Core Strategy (JCS). Plans to build almost 1,000 houses in a site in the village have been approved by Tewkesbury Borough Council despite strong opposition. The council approved the latest incarnation of the JCS after vetoing a previous version in October because it included Twigworth. Phil Awford (Con, Highnam and Haw Bridge), Tewkesbury Borough Councillor, said: "This is the worst strategic planning decision for a generation. If members support this then they should know that it will be more than 995 houses that a built on here and it will be closer to 2,000 in the end." Mr Awford represents the village of Twigworth and during the meeting seconded a motion to have it once again taken out of the plan. However, this motion failed by 20 votes to 11. Protesters had gathered in the reception of Tewkesbury Borough Council with placards to show their disapproval. The signs were not allowed in the council chamber and the protesters were forced to leave them at the door. Former Twigworth Parish Council chairman George Sharpley, who was part of the protest before the meeting, said afterwards: "I'm sorry for the people of Twigworth but also for the people downstream, at Longford, Sandhurst and Gloucester. "We're not sunk yet but they're certainly trying to sink Twigworth."
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29 January 2017: Gloucestershire Live - Hugely controversial plans to build houses in Twigworth, despite flooding fears, are back on the agenda.
Of note: Members of Tewkesbury Borough Council told their officers in October 2016 that plans to allocate 1,363 homes for the area near Gloucester were not acceptable. They said the proposal must be dropped. It followed concern that land earmarked for the development was at risk of flooding. The officers' report said: "This additional assessment concluded that there are no overriding flooding issues which would prevent the land being allocated for development." Councillor Phil Awford (C, Highnam with Haw Bridge) "It's not just about the flooding. It's about rolling back more of our very precious greenbelt and about traffic congestion too."
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6 January 2017: Gloucester Citizen - Is Twigworth being shoe-horned back into the Joint Core Strategy?
Of note: Tewkesbury Borough Council has been accused of trying to put Twigworth back into JCS. Last year Tewkesbury Borough Council refused to back the latest draft of the JCS because it included building 1386 houses at Twigworth. However, now people in Twigworth are worried that the council could be set to go back on the decision that it made last October due to pressure from Cheltenham and Gloucester. Graham Locke, chairman of the Twigworth Neighbourhood Development Plan said: Twigworth has been excluded from the JCS by the democratic process. JCS resources should be focussed on finding more sustainable sites, not seeking to shoehorn Twigworth back in”Click to see article
6 January 2017: Thousands more homes built despite flood risk warnings
Of note: To have built 4,400 homes in the last five years against the advice of the Environment Agency shows that this Government has learnt nothing from the floods which have devastated communities across the country over successive winters. Jonathan Bartley, co-leader of the Green Party
Link to article: inews.co.uk/essentials/news/environment/thousands-homes-built-despite-flood-risk-warnings/
29 November 2016: Gloucester Citizen - Letters: Hard to find a less suitable site
It would be hard to find a more unsuitable place for development.
No amount of quick fix ‘sustainable drainage’ would cope on this flat clay-clogged land, which is adjacent to the river flood plain. Despite claims of no flood risk, applicants, proposing these developments, don’t have to worry about the flood alleviation – they sell on their planning permissions and have no liabilities. The actual housing developers can rid themselves of the maintenance costs of supposedly sustainable drainage, and leave the councils with the ongoing expense.
Furthermore, mass housing at Twigworth would choke rural roads, and all the key junctions in Churchdown, Innsworth, Longlevens and Longford. If Twigworth were to be encircled with mass housing developments, the A38 traffic would proceed at a permanent crawling pace, and the Longford roundabout (already the second-most congested roundabout in Cheltenham, Gloucester and Tewkesbury) would become a greater bottleneck.
As you report on November 9th and 14th, councillors at Tewkesbury Borough Council have voted to remove the late entry of Twigworth in the Joint Core Strategy examination, so as to avoid the gross environmental risk of development in this part of the Severn Vale.
We thank our MP, Laurence Robertson, for backing the efforts to prevent development at Twigworth and for enlisting the support of former Prime Minister, David Cameron, when he visited the area to appreciate the flood risks.
We are grateful to theTewkesbury Borough Council members for demanding a more sustainable approach to the JCS, and retaining Twigworth within the green belt.
Dave Evans, chairman, Down Hatherley Parish Council, Eirwyn Jenkins, chairman, Norton Parish Council, Ken Watson, chairman, Twigworth Parish Council.
8 November 2016: Gloucestershire Live - Council hopes JCS is not dead despite doubts over Twigworth and Ashchurch housing sites
Of note: Tewkesbury Borough Council refused to back its latest draft because it included building 1,363 houses at Twigworth. Its members rejected that site allocation after some people said it would represent a massive flood risk.
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7 November 2016 Joint Core Strategy update
The Leaders of all three Joint Core Strategy councils met on Friday morning to consider two issues that impact on the progression of the plan.
Firstly, the resolution made by Tewkesbury Borough Council to consider a plan without the Twigworth part of the Twigworth and Innsworth strategic allocation.
And secondly, confirmation from the Ministry of Defence and the Defence Infrastructure Organisation that a significant portion of the MoD site in Ashchurch will not be released for housing. In considering these issues, the Leaders recognise the importance of continuing to work together in partnership to deliver a sound JCS which meets the needs of all three council areas. Mike Dawson, chief executive for Tewkesbury Borough Council and senior responsible officer for the Joint Core Strategy, said: "The JCS is a hugely important plan that will shape the future of Cheltenham borough, Gloucester city and Tewkesbury borough and will guide housing and economic growth for the future. Therefore, we will be working together closely in the next few weeks and aim to bring a report to the three councils in January which will deliver a sound plan.”
https://www.tewkesbury.gov.uk/news/joint-core-strategy-update
7 November 2016: Dennis Parson, Joint Core Strategy uncertainty delays the Cheltenham Local Plan
On 25th October, Tewkesbury Borough Council voted not to approve the Joint Core Strategy (JCS) unless the Twigworth strategic housing allocation of 1,300 units was removed. This threw a spanner in the works after years of collaboration with Cheltenham Borough Council and Gloucester City Council both of whom had approved the JCS for public consultation the previous week. That consultation was scheduled to run from early November till next January.
Cheltenham Borough Council and Gloucester City Council are meeting with Tewkesbury Borough officers and politicians to understand their concerns and work towards a resolution that delivers a plan that meets the needs of the JCS area. Without it we will be forced to defend sites from development in areas we consider inappropriate.
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1 November 2016: 'Frustrated' Cheltenham Borough Council postpones its Local Plan consultation because of JCS delays
Of note: The latest version of Joint Core Strategy, had been agreed by the district councils for Cheltenham and Gloucester. Tim Atkins, managing director for place and economic development at Cheltenham Borough Council said: "We have the opportunity now to show leadership in delivering a sound and sustainable development plan.'' <<Twigworth is not a sustainable option, see letter above >>
Tewkesbury Borough Council has refused to back it - deciding it was not happy with controversial plans to build 1,363 homes in Twigworth, near Gloucester. It followed protests from residents there, who said the flood-prone land should not take such a huge number of houses.
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31 October 2016: Planning Resource - Gloucester joint core strategy hits snag over strategic allocation
A joint core strategy for a group of councils in the South West has suffered a setback after councillors at one of the authorities refused to back an inspector's modification that would insert a strategic allocation of at least 750 homes in their district into the plan.
26 October 2016: Gloucestershire Live - Vital housing plans for Gloucestershire thrown into doubt
Of note: Tewkesbury Borough Council refused to back it - deciding it was not happy with controversial plans to build 1,363 homes in Twigworth, near Gloucester. It followed protests from residents there, who said the flood-prone land should not take such a huge number of houses.
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26 October 2016: Gloucestershire Live -"It's a joke" - Twigworth responds to plans for 1,363 new houses
Of note: "It's a joke" – That is the message from the people of Twigworth following the decision that the village has been included in the Joint Core Strategy (JCS). Mr Seccomb added: "This area floods, it will flood this winter and keep on flooding for years to come, more houses would just make that worse. I would like to know which person in government is going to take the blame when this all floods again and causes devastation."
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26 October 2016: Gloucestershire Live - Should Gloucestershire’s controversial future housing plan be scrapped after latest blow?
Councillor Paul James, leader of Gloucester City Council, said: "The JCS has been a long and complicated process, with a lot of hard work having been put into it since 2008. "If houses aren't going to be built in Twigworth, then we need to look as to whether there are any other places within our boundaries.
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24 October 2016: Gloucestershire Live - Twigworth introduced into Joint Core Strategy despite flooding concerns
Of note: Dawn Melvin, councillor (Con, Westgate), said: "It is utter nonsense that land in Twigworth remains in the JCS, I would like to know how we can justify buildings these homes there."
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22 October 2016: Gloucestershire Live - D-Day imminent on decision to build 1,300 homes in flood-hit Twigworth
Of note: Councillor Paul James, leader of Gloucester City Council, said "The JCS has been a long and, at times, painful process but now hopefully we are coming to the end of it". Gloucester district can only realistically build 7,685 houses within its own borders because of space constraints, leaving it 6,655 short of its own target. It means neighbouring authorities of Tewkesbury and Stroud are set to help out. In the report, inspector Elizabeth Ord said: "There are few strategic-scale alternative sites around Gloucester that appear to be appropriate for allocation.
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15 October 2016: Gloucestershire Live - -Council unanimously vote for Twigworth to been taken out of JCS
6 July 2016: Gloucestershire Live - -Residents WILL get their say on Gloucestershire greenbelt home building plan
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1 June 2016: Gloucestershire Echo - Flooding and traffic dominate reactions to JCS Twigworth proposal
Of note: Concerns over traffic and potential flooding have dominated reactions to the idea of building 750 new houses in Twigworth north of Gloucester.
The suggestion was made by Elizabeth Ord, the Planning Inspector in her interim report in the Joint Core Strategy.
But Ms Ord's report said that wasn't sufficient and recommended that land in Twigworth be allocated for another 750 houses.
But residents feel that the propensity of the area to flood makes that a bad idea.
Andrew Seccomb,"It's appalling. I think they have just looked on a map and picked a spot. There's no evidence to back this up. "I doubt she has ever been here but if she tried to get into Gloucester from here at 8am she would change her tune.
"Then there are the flooding issues. There will be serious repercussions because of this."
On social media Ade Newman wrote: "Homes for people with webbed toes?" and Ian Recknew wrote: "Yes sounds like the perfect place. That area never floods. Perfect location if you ask me."
Tom Francis didn't bother writing anything, but instead posted a picture of the old School in Twigworth totally surrounded by flood water.
In 2014 Twigworth was removed from the JCS as it was being put together because of fears of flooding.
Oliver Rood, a Twigworth resident, said: "Assuming the dwellings are family homes this number will double the amount of residents living in the area.
"In turn, the likelihood of each resident owning a form of transport will only add to the chaotic A38 at peak times or when we have issues with the motorway."
The three authorities will now consider Ms Ord's report before adopting the JCS formally later this year.
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16 April 2016: Telegraph: Plans for thousands of new homes threaten green belt areas
Of note: Planning rules only allow building on the ribbon of land around towns and cities – originally set aside to prevent urban sprawl – in “very special” circumstances.
Mr Clarke admitted in his ruling that the Gloucester plans would be “harmful” to the green belt and lead to the “loss of the essential characteristic of openness.”
Paul Miner, planning campaign manager at CPRE, said: “We do need to build more homes in England, but this can be done in a way that preserves our Green Belts for future generations and prevents urban sprawl. There are alternative ways to build more homes, such as prioritising brownfield development.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/04/16/plans-for-thousands-of-new-homes-threaten-green-belt-areas/
7 March 2016: South West Business - 725 houses in Twigworth north of Gloucester: Planning application rejected
Of note: Tewkesbury Borough Council rejected the application on 14 grounds. Tewkesbury Borough Council said in the decision notice: "The proposed addition of 725 dwellings to the settlement of Twigworth would be of a scale disproportionate to the existing settlement and as such the proposed development would have a harmful impact on the sense of place of the existing settlement and the social wellbeing of the local community, risking the erosion of community cohesion." As well as the green belt, several residents raised concerns with the work due to the increased flood risk.
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5 January 2016: BBC News - Gloucestershire new homes on greenbelt ‘inevitable'
Of note: A blueprint for future housing in Gloucestershire has accepted new homes will inevitably be built on greenbelt.
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27 August 2014: CPRE - Joint Core Strategy flawed says CPRE
The Joint Core Strategy, which proposes building over 30,000 homes in Gloucester City, Cheltenham Borough and Tewkesbury Borough by 2031 is flawed. It fails to prioritise the use of derelict and vacant sites, gives no guarantee for the provision of essential infrastructure and affordable housing and poses an unnecessary threat to the Green Belt, according to the Campaign to Protect Rural England’s (CPRE) Gloucestershire Branch.
It also fails key tests set by Government, says the campaigning organisation, and significant changes are needed if it is to be passed as sound when independently examined.
CPRE questions how the strategy will be able to deliver the number of homes it proposes during the period of the plan. It adds:
• major development sites require significant infrastructure and there is a funding shortfall of £700 million just for the essential elements
• there are no proposals to carefully phase development and ensure that priority is given to first building on derelict and vacant land within urban areas so reducing the need to take land from the Green Belt for development.
CPRE Gloucestershire Vice Chair, Richard Lloyd, said: “The JCS will lead to cherry picking of the most profitable sites, threatening Gloucestershire’ unique landscape and greenfield land, a loss which could not later be rectified.”
He added: “There has been a regrettable lack of economic analysis by the JCS team and we will be urging the three local authorities to develop their housing plans based on sound evidence rather than the current strategy which appears to be based on assumptions rather than fact.”
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29 March 2014: Citizen - Thousands of homes wiped from Gloucestershire Joint Core Strategy - Twigworth saved
Of note: Green belt land earmarked for hundreds of homes at Twigworth has been removed from a controversial housing plan. Cheltenham, Tewkesbury and Gloucester councils have reduced the number of homes to be built across the region between 2011 and 2031 from 33,200 to 30,500. Campaigners have been calling for the three councils working on the housing plan, called the joint core strategy, to make changes to try to stop development on the countryside. And while changes have been made and two large green belt sites have been saved from development, the reduction in housing numbers is unlikely to be significant enough to appease many critics of the plan. A proposal to take land to the south of Cheltenham Racecourse out of the green belt has also been withdrawn in the latest version of the plan.
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7 January 2014: ITV NEWS - Flood warnings the full list
Of note: Flood warnings are in place with Twigworth and Longford ( top of the list re flooding areas)
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Motorists are facing a slow and painful journey into work after a stretch of the A40 ground to a halt during the rush hour. Traffic was at a snail’s pace from the Longford roundabout towards the Elmbridge Court roundabout. But today, possibly linked to the closure of the M5 motorway after a van crash, traffic was far worse than usual
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16 May 2017: Gloucestershire Live - D-Day looms for massive developments of 2,000 homes north of GloucesterThe fate of plans to build more than 2,000 homes north of Gloucester will be decided next month
Of note: The fate of plans to build more than 2,000 homes north of Gloucester will be decided next month. The developments, which would effectively link Innsworth and Twigworth together, would also feature new primary schools a business park and a community centre and form part of the Joint Core Strategy - the masterplan to build 35,000 new homes by 2030. Locals have criticised the home building plans, raising concerns about the impact on traffic and drainage, and planning authority Tewkesbury Borough Council said it would have rejected the Innsworth plans if they had the chance. The decision on whether to allow the two developments now lies in the hands of a planning inspector, who will begin a public hearing in Bristol on June 20. Councillor Graham Bocking, Tewkesbury borough councillor for the area (C, Innsworth with Down Hatherley) is among those opposing the plans. He said: "I recognise the fact that we need housing, but it's not called a flood plain for nothing. Mr Bocking, who recently floated the idea of moving Gloucestershire Airport and building the houses there, added: "With the appeal the transport is going to be one of the biggest issues, with the sheer volume of traffic that it would generate." Twigworth and Innsworth were both affected by the flooding in 2007.
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17 March 2017: Gloucestershire Live - "Hands off our airport": Reaction to calls to move Gloucestershire Airport and build homes
Of note: There were calls this week to move the airport and build a 'garden village' in its place – an idea which would further close the gap between Gloucester and Cheltenham. Tewkesbury borough councillor Graham Bocking (C, Innsworth) said the idea could relieve pressure on surrounding greenfield sites in Innsworth, Twigworth and Churchdown currently earmarked for hundreds of homes and bring in around £5million a year in council taxes. The site was identified for potential development of up to 3,500 new houses in the early stages of the Joint Core Strategy. But this idea was later dropped in favour of building hundreds of homes in Innsworth, Twigworth and Churchdown. Mr Bocking said the airport land is worth more than £300million, and council tax payers subsidise flying activity by more than £400,000 per year. He said: "The airport site is big enough to take much of the housing currently proposed at Innsworth, Twigworth and Churchdown. It is a far better location, next to the A40 and the main commuter route. It doesn't flood. "It is vital that the councils now step up and act in the public's interest rather than just responding to developers' wishes."
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20 February 2017: Europe Breaking News - What’s the state of play with the Joint Core Strategy?
Of note: As been years in the making but the long and tortuous progress of the major housing plan for the northern half of Gloucestershire has reached a major milestone. All three councils involved in its development, Cheltenham Borough Council, Tewkesbury Borough Council and Gloucester City Council, have approved the interim plan put together by the Planning Inspector Elizabeth Ord. The plan details sites around the three councils’ areas where large scale housing developments of at least 500 houses can be built. The councils have been told by the Government they need to find room for 35,000 houses in their areas to be built by 2030. Progress had hit a snag at the end of 2016. In Inspector Ord’s interim report released last year she had recommended that Twigworth near Tewkesbury was suitable for about 1,000 new homes. That didn’t find favour with residents who think the propensity for flooding in the village means it isn’t the best place for the houses and in its meeting to discuss the recommendation, Tewkesbury borough councillors said they didn’t want Twigworth to be in the JCS and rejected it. That led to tension with the other councils in the partnership. The JCS is important to all three authorities and needs to be agreed before they can agree their own local plans.
https://www.europebreakingnews.net/2017/02/whats-the-state-of-play-with-the-joint-core-strategy/
17 February 2017: The Guardian - New homes eroding green belt 'at fastest rate for 20 years'
Of note: The CPRE accuses councils of altering green belt boundaries to accommodate housing at the fastest rate for two decades, and the government of facilitating the practice.
Paul Miner, the CPRE’s planning campaign manager, said: “Councils are increasingly eroding the green belt to meet unrealistic and unsustainable housing targets. The government is proposing to encourage further development in the green belt.
“Our green belt is invaluable in preventing urban sprawl and providing the countryside next door for 30 million people. We need stronger protection for the green belt, not just supportive words and empty promises.” He said brownfield land could provide at least 1m new homes, and the government should empower councils to prioritise such sites. The number of houses planned for the green belt is up 25% on a year ago. Greg Clark, the communities and local government secretary, to approve the building of 1,500 new homes on the green belt between Gloucester and Cheltenham – one of the biggest green-belt developments for a decade - as evidence that the government is not living up to its promises. A spokesman for the Department for Communities and Local Government said it was not relaxing protections against “inappropriate development” on the green belt. “Ministers have repeatedly been clear that demand for housing alone will not justify changing green belt boundaries,” he said. “Councils are already expected to prioritise development on brownfield sites, with 90% of brownfield sites expected to have planning permission by the end of this parliament.
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8 February 2017: Gloucestershire Live - What's the state of play with the Joint Core Strategy?
Of note: As been years in the making but the long and tortuous progress of the major housing plan for the northern half of Gloucestershire has reached a major milestone. Progress had hit a snag at the end of 2016. In Inspector Ord's interim report released last year she had recommended that Twigworth near Tewkesbury was suitable for about 1,000 new homes. That didn't find favour with residents who think the propensity for flooding in the village means it isn't the best place for the houses and in its meeting to discuss the recommendation, Tewkesbury borough councillors said they didn't want Twigworth to be in the JCS and rejected it. Steven Jordan, leader of Cheltenham borough council even floated the idea of Cheltenham and Gloucester going it alone. But in a subsequent meeting Tewkesbury backtracked and all three councils now have interim plans. The two-month public consultation on the JCS will begin next week.
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8 February 2017: Gloucestershire Live - Gloucestershire councils could lose millions if JCS falls through
Councils in Gloucestershire could lose more than £3million if the Joint Core Strategy plan is not put in place. Should this happen, Tewkesbury Borough Council would be worst hit, with a potential loss of £3.2million from their budget each year. The budget of Tewkesbury council is currently £9.9million per annum, meaning they could lose a third of their money. Elaine MacTiernan, (Con, Northway), Tewkesbury Borough Councillor, said: "If we lose the new homes bonus from the government it would be dangerous for this council. The meeting at Tewkesbury Borough Council was for approval of the entire JCS plan with a lengthy debate on whether a site at Twigworth would be included. Mike Dawson, Tewkesbury Borough Council's chief executive and senior responsible officer for the Joint Core Strategy, said: "Tewkesbury Borough Council members had previously expressed concerns about including the proposed land at Twigworth in the JCS. "However, the planning inspector had advised the JCS councils that there needed to be good land use planning reasons for not including the Twigworth site; otherwise this could give rise to a soundness issue. "After considering the latest evidence available on flooding, highways and land availability, the decision was made to support the inclusion of the site as there was no planning reason why Twigworth should not be allocated."
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3 February 2017: Gloucestershire Live - A38 Partially Closed
A motorcyclist has collided with a car on a major Gloucestershire roundabout.
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31 January 2017: Gloucestershire Live - Don't build houses at Twigworth, says world-renowned expert
Of note: Council officers are wrong to promote nearly 1,000 houses for land at Twigworth, according to a world-renowned water expert. Professor Ian Cluckie, a emeritus professor in the College of Engineering at Swansea University and an expert in flood control, has backed the view of those campaigning against the proposal has said Twigworth should not be used for a large-scale housing development. Tewkesbury Borough officers said they feared the JCS would not be sound unless the Twigworth allocation was included and insisted that flooding fears could be overcome.
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31 January 2017: Gloucestershire Live - Plans for almost 1,000 homes in Twigworth put back in the Joint Core Strategy
Of note: Despite protests outside council offices Twigworth was placed back in the controversial Joint Core Strategy (JCS). Plans to build almost 1,000 houses in a site in the village have been approved by Tewkesbury Borough Council despite strong opposition. The council approved the latest incarnation of the JCS after vetoing a previous version in October because it included Twigworth. Phil Awford (Con, Highnam and Haw Bridge), Tewkesbury Borough Councillor, said: "This is the worst strategic planning decision for a generation. If members support this then they should know that it will be more than 995 houses that a built on here and it will be closer to 2,000 in the end." Mr Awford represents the village of Twigworth and during the meeting seconded a motion to have it once again taken out of the plan. However, this motion failed by 20 votes to 11. Protesters had gathered in the reception of Tewkesbury Borough Council with placards to show their disapproval. The signs were not allowed in the council chamber and the protesters were forced to leave them at the door. Former Twigworth Parish Council chairman George Sharpley, who was part of the protest before the meeting, said afterwards: "I'm sorry for the people of Twigworth but also for the people downstream, at Longford, Sandhurst and Gloucester. "We're not sunk yet but they're certainly trying to sink Twigworth."
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29 January 2017: Gloucestershire Live - Hugely controversial plans to build houses in Twigworth, despite flooding fears, are back on the agenda.
Of note: Members of Tewkesbury Borough Council told their officers in October 2016 that plans to allocate 1,363 homes for the area near Gloucester were not acceptable. They said the proposal must be dropped. It followed concern that land earmarked for the development was at risk of flooding. The officers' report said: "This additional assessment concluded that there are no overriding flooding issues which would prevent the land being allocated for development." Councillor Phil Awford (C, Highnam with Haw Bridge) "It's not just about the flooding. It's about rolling back more of our very precious greenbelt and about traffic congestion too."
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6 January 2017: Gloucester Citizen - Is Twigworth being shoe-horned back into the Joint Core Strategy?
Of note: Tewkesbury Borough Council has been accused of trying to put Twigworth back into JCS. Last year Tewkesbury Borough Council refused to back the latest draft of the JCS because it included building 1386 houses at Twigworth. However, now people in Twigworth are worried that the council could be set to go back on the decision that it made last October due to pressure from Cheltenham and Gloucester. Graham Locke, chairman of the Twigworth Neighbourhood Development Plan said: Twigworth has been excluded from the JCS by the democratic process. JCS resources should be focussed on finding more sustainable sites, not seeking to shoehorn Twigworth back in”Click to see article
6 January 2017: Thousands more homes built despite flood risk warnings
Of note: To have built 4,400 homes in the last five years against the advice of the Environment Agency shows that this Government has learnt nothing from the floods which have devastated communities across the country over successive winters. Jonathan Bartley, co-leader of the Green Party
Link to article: inews.co.uk/essentials/news/environment/thousands-homes-built-despite-flood-risk-warnings/
29 November 2016: Gloucester Citizen - Letters: Hard to find a less suitable site
It would be hard to find a more unsuitable place for development.
No amount of quick fix ‘sustainable drainage’ would cope on this flat clay-clogged land, which is adjacent to the river flood plain. Despite claims of no flood risk, applicants, proposing these developments, don’t have to worry about the flood alleviation – they sell on their planning permissions and have no liabilities. The actual housing developers can rid themselves of the maintenance costs of supposedly sustainable drainage, and leave the councils with the ongoing expense.
Furthermore, mass housing at Twigworth would choke rural roads, and all the key junctions in Churchdown, Innsworth, Longlevens and Longford. If Twigworth were to be encircled with mass housing developments, the A38 traffic would proceed at a permanent crawling pace, and the Longford roundabout (already the second-most congested roundabout in Cheltenham, Gloucester and Tewkesbury) would become a greater bottleneck.
As you report on November 9th and 14th, councillors at Tewkesbury Borough Council have voted to remove the late entry of Twigworth in the Joint Core Strategy examination, so as to avoid the gross environmental risk of development in this part of the Severn Vale.
We thank our MP, Laurence Robertson, for backing the efforts to prevent development at Twigworth and for enlisting the support of former Prime Minister, David Cameron, when he visited the area to appreciate the flood risks.
We are grateful to theTewkesbury Borough Council members for demanding a more sustainable approach to the JCS, and retaining Twigworth within the green belt.
Dave Evans, chairman, Down Hatherley Parish Council, Eirwyn Jenkins, chairman, Norton Parish Council, Ken Watson, chairman, Twigworth Parish Council.
8 November 2016: Gloucestershire Live - Council hopes JCS is not dead despite doubts over Twigworth and Ashchurch housing sites
Of note: Tewkesbury Borough Council refused to back its latest draft because it included building 1,363 houses at Twigworth. Its members rejected that site allocation after some people said it would represent a massive flood risk.
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7 November 2016 Joint Core Strategy update
The Leaders of all three Joint Core Strategy councils met on Friday morning to consider two issues that impact on the progression of the plan.
Firstly, the resolution made by Tewkesbury Borough Council to consider a plan without the Twigworth part of the Twigworth and Innsworth strategic allocation.
And secondly, confirmation from the Ministry of Defence and the Defence Infrastructure Organisation that a significant portion of the MoD site in Ashchurch will not be released for housing. In considering these issues, the Leaders recognise the importance of continuing to work together in partnership to deliver a sound JCS which meets the needs of all three council areas. Mike Dawson, chief executive for Tewkesbury Borough Council and senior responsible officer for the Joint Core Strategy, said: "The JCS is a hugely important plan that will shape the future of Cheltenham borough, Gloucester city and Tewkesbury borough and will guide housing and economic growth for the future. Therefore, we will be working together closely in the next few weeks and aim to bring a report to the three councils in January which will deliver a sound plan.”
https://www.tewkesbury.gov.uk/news/joint-core-strategy-update
7 November 2016: Dennis Parson, Joint Core Strategy uncertainty delays the Cheltenham Local Plan
On 25th October, Tewkesbury Borough Council voted not to approve the Joint Core Strategy (JCS) unless the Twigworth strategic housing allocation of 1,300 units was removed. This threw a spanner in the works after years of collaboration with Cheltenham Borough Council and Gloucester City Council both of whom had approved the JCS for public consultation the previous week. That consultation was scheduled to run from early November till next January.
Cheltenham Borough Council and Gloucester City Council are meeting with Tewkesbury Borough officers and politicians to understand their concerns and work towards a resolution that delivers a plan that meets the needs of the JCS area. Without it we will be forced to defend sites from development in areas we consider inappropriate.
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1 November 2016: 'Frustrated' Cheltenham Borough Council postpones its Local Plan consultation because of JCS delays
Of note: The latest version of Joint Core Strategy, had been agreed by the district councils for Cheltenham and Gloucester. Tim Atkins, managing director for place and economic development at Cheltenham Borough Council said: "We have the opportunity now to show leadership in delivering a sound and sustainable development plan.'' <<Twigworth is not a sustainable option, see letter above >>
Tewkesbury Borough Council has refused to back it - deciding it was not happy with controversial plans to build 1,363 homes in Twigworth, near Gloucester. It followed protests from residents there, who said the flood-prone land should not take such a huge number of houses.
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31 October 2016: Planning Resource - Gloucester joint core strategy hits snag over strategic allocation
A joint core strategy for a group of councils in the South West has suffered a setback after councillors at one of the authorities refused to back an inspector's modification that would insert a strategic allocation of at least 750 homes in their district into the plan.
26 October 2016: Gloucestershire Live - Vital housing plans for Gloucestershire thrown into doubt
Of note: Tewkesbury Borough Council refused to back it - deciding it was not happy with controversial plans to build 1,363 homes in Twigworth, near Gloucester. It followed protests from residents there, who said the flood-prone land should not take such a huge number of houses.
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26 October 2016: Gloucestershire Live -"It's a joke" - Twigworth responds to plans for 1,363 new houses
Of note: "It's a joke" – That is the message from the people of Twigworth following the decision that the village has been included in the Joint Core Strategy (JCS). Mr Seccomb added: "This area floods, it will flood this winter and keep on flooding for years to come, more houses would just make that worse. I would like to know which person in government is going to take the blame when this all floods again and causes devastation."
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26 October 2016: Gloucestershire Live - Should Gloucestershire’s controversial future housing plan be scrapped after latest blow?
Councillor Paul James, leader of Gloucester City Council, said: "The JCS has been a long and complicated process, with a lot of hard work having been put into it since 2008. "If houses aren't going to be built in Twigworth, then we need to look as to whether there are any other places within our boundaries.
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24 October 2016: Gloucestershire Live - Twigworth introduced into Joint Core Strategy despite flooding concerns
Of note: Dawn Melvin, councillor (Con, Westgate), said: "It is utter nonsense that land in Twigworth remains in the JCS, I would like to know how we can justify buildings these homes there."
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22 October 2016: Gloucestershire Live - D-Day imminent on decision to build 1,300 homes in flood-hit Twigworth
Of note: Councillor Paul James, leader of Gloucester City Council, said "The JCS has been a long and, at times, painful process but now hopefully we are coming to the end of it". Gloucester district can only realistically build 7,685 houses within its own borders because of space constraints, leaving it 6,655 short of its own target. It means neighbouring authorities of Tewkesbury and Stroud are set to help out. In the report, inspector Elizabeth Ord said: "There are few strategic-scale alternative sites around Gloucester that appear to be appropriate for allocation.
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15 October 2016: Gloucestershire Live - -Council unanimously vote for Twigworth to been taken out of JCS
6 July 2016: Gloucestershire Live - -Residents WILL get their say on Gloucestershire greenbelt home building plan
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1 June 2016: Gloucestershire Echo - Flooding and traffic dominate reactions to JCS Twigworth proposal
Of note: Concerns over traffic and potential flooding have dominated reactions to the idea of building 750 new houses in Twigworth north of Gloucester.
The suggestion was made by Elizabeth Ord, the Planning Inspector in her interim report in the Joint Core Strategy.
But Ms Ord's report said that wasn't sufficient and recommended that land in Twigworth be allocated for another 750 houses.
But residents feel that the propensity of the area to flood makes that a bad idea.
Andrew Seccomb,"It's appalling. I think they have just looked on a map and picked a spot. There's no evidence to back this up. "I doubt she has ever been here but if she tried to get into Gloucester from here at 8am she would change her tune.
"Then there are the flooding issues. There will be serious repercussions because of this."
On social media Ade Newman wrote: "Homes for people with webbed toes?" and Ian Recknew wrote: "Yes sounds like the perfect place. That area never floods. Perfect location if you ask me."
Tom Francis didn't bother writing anything, but instead posted a picture of the old School in Twigworth totally surrounded by flood water.
In 2014 Twigworth was removed from the JCS as it was being put together because of fears of flooding.
Oliver Rood, a Twigworth resident, said: "Assuming the dwellings are family homes this number will double the amount of residents living in the area.
"In turn, the likelihood of each resident owning a form of transport will only add to the chaotic A38 at peak times or when we have issues with the motorway."
The three authorities will now consider Ms Ord's report before adopting the JCS formally later this year.
Click to see article
16 April 2016: Telegraph: Plans for thousands of new homes threaten green belt areas
Of note: Planning rules only allow building on the ribbon of land around towns and cities – originally set aside to prevent urban sprawl – in “very special” circumstances.
Mr Clarke admitted in his ruling that the Gloucester plans would be “harmful” to the green belt and lead to the “loss of the essential characteristic of openness.”
Paul Miner, planning campaign manager at CPRE, said: “We do need to build more homes in England, but this can be done in a way that preserves our Green Belts for future generations and prevents urban sprawl. There are alternative ways to build more homes, such as prioritising brownfield development.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/04/16/plans-for-thousands-of-new-homes-threaten-green-belt-areas/
7 March 2016: South West Business - 725 houses in Twigworth north of Gloucester: Planning application rejected
Of note: Tewkesbury Borough Council rejected the application on 14 grounds. Tewkesbury Borough Council said in the decision notice: "The proposed addition of 725 dwellings to the settlement of Twigworth would be of a scale disproportionate to the existing settlement and as such the proposed development would have a harmful impact on the sense of place of the existing settlement and the social wellbeing of the local community, risking the erosion of community cohesion." As well as the green belt, several residents raised concerns with the work due to the increased flood risk.
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5 January 2016: BBC News - Gloucestershire new homes on greenbelt ‘inevitable'
Of note: A blueprint for future housing in Gloucestershire has accepted new homes will inevitably be built on greenbelt.
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27 August 2014: CPRE - Joint Core Strategy flawed says CPRE
The Joint Core Strategy, which proposes building over 30,000 homes in Gloucester City, Cheltenham Borough and Tewkesbury Borough by 2031 is flawed. It fails to prioritise the use of derelict and vacant sites, gives no guarantee for the provision of essential infrastructure and affordable housing and poses an unnecessary threat to the Green Belt, according to the Campaign to Protect Rural England’s (CPRE) Gloucestershire Branch.
It also fails key tests set by Government, says the campaigning organisation, and significant changes are needed if it is to be passed as sound when independently examined.
CPRE questions how the strategy will be able to deliver the number of homes it proposes during the period of the plan. It adds:
• major development sites require significant infrastructure and there is a funding shortfall of £700 million just for the essential elements
• there are no proposals to carefully phase development and ensure that priority is given to first building on derelict and vacant land within urban areas so reducing the need to take land from the Green Belt for development.
CPRE Gloucestershire Vice Chair, Richard Lloyd, said: “The JCS will lead to cherry picking of the most profitable sites, threatening Gloucestershire’ unique landscape and greenfield land, a loss which could not later be rectified.”
He added: “There has been a regrettable lack of economic analysis by the JCS team and we will be urging the three local authorities to develop their housing plans based on sound evidence rather than the current strategy which appears to be based on assumptions rather than fact.”
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29 March 2014: Citizen - Thousands of homes wiped from Gloucestershire Joint Core Strategy - Twigworth saved
Of note: Green belt land earmarked for hundreds of homes at Twigworth has been removed from a controversial housing plan. Cheltenham, Tewkesbury and Gloucester councils have reduced the number of homes to be built across the region between 2011 and 2031 from 33,200 to 30,500. Campaigners have been calling for the three councils working on the housing plan, called the joint core strategy, to make changes to try to stop development on the countryside. And while changes have been made and two large green belt sites have been saved from development, the reduction in housing numbers is unlikely to be significant enough to appease many critics of the plan. A proposal to take land to the south of Cheltenham Racecourse out of the green belt has also been withdrawn in the latest version of the plan.
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7 January 2014: ITV NEWS - Flood warnings the full list
Of note: Flood warnings are in place with Twigworth and Longford ( top of the list re flooding areas)
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