Homes to be built despite congestion concerns

Plans to build 235 homes in a village near the M5 in Gloucestershire have been approved despite frustration over "dangerous" and congested roads.

Robert Hitchins Limited has been given outline permission to develop 24 acres west of the A4135 in Draycott, Cam. The site forms part of a 1,000-home estate with developer Persimmon.

Residents and councillors who objected to the scheme raised concerns it will merge parishes to create an urban sprawl, but Stroud District Council's development control committee gave it the go-ahead on Tuesday.

Councillor Milly Hill said a spine road and an exit via a roundabout were "critical" for the development, as current routes were "narrow and dangerous".

"There's a nasty little railway bridge coming across from Slimbridge into Cam which is already a bit of a death trap," she said.

While more detailed plans are still to be submitted, council planning officers said the proposals involved a new roundabout.

It comes as Stroud District Council is consulting on a new draft local plan - a policy which sets out how it will meet government targets to build at least 846 new homes each year until 2040.

Planning inspectors have previously raised concerns over the capacity of two M5 junctions in Gloucestershire - junction 12 for Quedgeley and junction 14 for Falfield - and how traffic would be affected by the local plan.

Fresh fears about congestion have been raised in relation to the Draycott development, specifically the Box Road junction.

Councillor Martin Pearcys said people living in the development would drive to Cam and Dursley station, via the junction.

"They will struggle, they might get in but they won't get out," he said. "I do really think it is going to be a real congestion area.

"I've seen frustrated people trying to get past to get to their train taking risks."

Gloucestershire County Council told Cam Parish Council it would recommend Stroud District Council refuse planning permission on the basis of emergency vehicle provision and entrance and exit points, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

But the county council did not formally comment.

According to Cam Parish councillor Tina Walker, the county council also agreed the Box Road junction with the A4135 would need to be changed as part of the development because it was "an ongoing concern".

Walker called for the Draycott plans to be deferred until outstanding issues around the density of the development, ecology and highway access were resolved.

Meanwhile, district councillor Lindsey Green asked if GP surgeries and secondary schools have the capacity to cope with the new homes. Officers said the authorities have requested developer contributions towards those needs.

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