Green light for houses on village field (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Green light for houses on village field

PLANS for affordable houses to be built at a South Cerney playing field have got the go-ahead despite opposition from local residents.

Seven houses will be built on land at Jubilee Gardens after district councillors agreed to sell it to Jephson Homes.

South Cerney Parish Council opposed the plans and letters of objection were sent to Cotswold District Council by villagers.

One resident who lives in Jubilee Gardens said: "I moved here for my retirement and apart from the house the chief attraction was this lovely piece of green.

"This is used as a playing field for smaller children and also has many advantages for everyone else."

Another resident said: "This area of land is valuable to the local community in many different ways. Are we really receiving best value by selling it?"

The land, which is owned by Cotswold District Council, has been dogged by controversy over the years.

In 1999 South Cerney Parish Council applied to the county council to register the land as a village green.

The district council objected to the application and following a public inquiry in March last year the parish council's proposal was thrown out.

Now seven affordable houses will be built on about half the area of land and the other half will be kept as a green open space.

Members of CDC's executive committee were told that South Cerney Parish Council would be asked if they wanted to take over the land and if they agreed covenants could be put on it to stop any future building.

Cllr Carole Topple warned: "The green space is crucial and must stay."

Speaking after the meeting, CDC's head of legal services James Ellis said that if the land remained in their ownership, it would be kept as an open space.