SITES for housing across the Cotswolds have been thrown into the melting pot by a government inspector.

When plans for 120 homes in Fairford went to appeal last month the inspector decided that Cotswold District Council’s five-year land supply figures could not be relied upon as the basis for future planning and the appeal was granted.

This again leaves the Cotswolds open to unwanted development being given the go-ahead by inspectors at planning appeals because the council has not yet produced an acceptable blueprint of agreed sites.

After years of planning applications being allowed on appeal, the district council earlier this year compiled its five-year figures in accordance with government targets and an inspector deemed them acceptable for inclusion in the Local Plan.

The inspector making the Fairford decision, however, said the five-year figures were not acceptable and an Turn to page 2 Continued from age 1 Objectively Assessed Need (OAN) document had to be produced to ward off future development.

The latest judgement means that the council now need to measure its five year housing supply against a robust OAN – meaning that there could be a free for all for developers.

Paul Hodgkinson, leader of the Cotswold District Council Lib Dems, said that the district council is to blame for the current crisis as it does not have an up-to-date Local Plan document, which sets out the rules for development in an area.

“This means that developers now have an open season across the district because of the council’s failings,” he said.

“The council does not have a local plan in place and 70 per cent of councils have one.”

“Most councils don’t have a large proportion of its area in an area of national beauty so there is a massive duty of care for the council. The fact is they have been sleeping on the job.”

“They have known for years they have needed an up-to-date local plan in place.

“Why have the council not got its act together and realised of how many houses are needed.”

“It is not surprising that now a lack of such an assessment . ”

Lyden Stowe, leader of Cotswold District Council said he was bitterly disappointed by the inspector’s decision.

He said: “I was very disappointed with the inspector’s decision. I think the council has worked hard together with town and parish councils in the district to come up with a very robust five year housing supply.

“They quite literally change the goal posts with their decision.

“This is not just a Cotswold problem, the coalition government is acting the same towards every local council in the country – using a clear abuse of their powers.”

He added that he expected the council would be able to come up with an OAN in a few weeks.

There are proposals to build 2500 homes in the Chesterton area of Cirencester on land owned by Lord Bathurst.

Plans for the Chesterton development cannot be submitted until the district council draws up