Residents oppose 'absolute mad' plans for new town

Residents have opposed "absolute mad plans for a new town near a traffic pinch point".

Dozens of people opposed the Forest of Dean District Council's draft local plan at a meeting on Tuesday, which proposes 13,000 new homes over 20 years.

Under the plan, 2,000 homes could be built off the A40 in Churcham and another 3,500 near the A417 in Redmarley D'Abitot.

Council leader Adrian Birch said the new housing target has been imposed on them by the government, and it is nearly double the amount previously needed.

The government announced in 2024 it wanted to build 1.5 million new homes across the country by 2029.

A government spokesperson previously said the targets will mean councils must boost housebuilding in areas most in need which will help more people buy their own homes.

At the meeting held in Churcham Primary School, residents also raised concerns about flooding, a lack of local infrastructure, and whether Gloucestershire Royal Hospital and other health services would be able to cope with the extra demand, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

During the meeting, resident Paul Thomas said it was "absolute madness" to put "a load of houses on one of the most strategic pinch points".

"What planet are they on? You know, the roads are already over capacity. Anybody stuck for an hour and a half in the morning realises that," he said.

Birch previously said its housing blueprint needs to be approved otherwise developers could "submit speculative planning applications that the council would struggle to defend".

He said: "We know this is a major challenge for a largely rural and environmentally sensitive area like ours."

The council wants residents to share their views on the draft local plan and is inviting landowners to come forward with sites they believe could have potential for future development.

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