Stow-on-the-Wold residents hit out over housing plans (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Stow-on-the-Wold residents form pressure group Save Our Stow over plans by Bovis Homes

9:00am Saturday 26th January 2013 in News By

CONCERNED residents in Stow-on-the-Wold have formed an action group following proposals to build 160 new homes in the town.

Bovis Homes have drawn up proposals for the site on land off Oddington Road, next to the King Georges Field, which they hope will “create a high-quality, sustainable new neighbourhood for local people.”

But some residents in the town have united to collectively oppose what they describe as a “disproportionately large building estate development.”

Geoff Williams, of Griffin Close, which is near the proposed site, has set up Save Our Stow action group and is launching a petition against the proposals.

“To propose this scale of development in an area of outstanding natural beauty indicates how insensitive Bovis are to the Stow population,” he said.

“This proposed development would not enhance the tourist trade but would in fact add extra congestion and parking competition.”

Speaking out at the last town council meeting, Mr Williams asked councillors to give their opinion on the proposed development.

“It would give us a view if you are in touch with the people on the streets,” he said.

But Councillor Chris Turner said discussing the proposals before a formal planning application had been submitted would be “highly illegal.”

“We as individuals can’t and will not express individual thoughts,” he said. “In the planning committee we can only express our view in planning terms not in personal terms.”

Nevin Holden, director at Bovis Homes South West, said they were working through the results from the recent consultation evening.

"The purpose of the consultation was to get as much input as possible from local people and feed this into our evolving plans and that is the process we are currently going through,” he said.

“Our vision is to create a sustainable, high-quality new neighbourhood that will complement and enhance the established community and include attractive landscaped public open space and other community facilities.”

Other large developments proposed for Stow include a care village which could provide homes for more than 100 elderly people and the re-development of former care home Ashton House.