Major Tetbury development gets the go-ahead (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

A major development at the SIAC/Matbro site, Tetbury, has been given the go-ahead

12:00pm Saturday 15th September 2012 in News By Ian Craig

A MAJOR development in Tetbury was given the go-ahead last week.

At last week’s meeting of Cotswold District Council ’s planning committee, the go-ahead was given to an outline application to build 124 homes and 50 sheltered homes, along with a 60-bed care home and 50 care apartments at the SIAC/Matbro site to the north of the town.

In a statement from Cllr Barry Gibbs (Con, Tetbury), which was read out by committee chairman Cllr Venetia Crosbie-Dawson (Con, Rissingtons), he said he believed the application would be beneficial for the elderly people of the town. .

“This will mean they will be able to stay in Tetbury rather than moving out to Cirencester or Nailswoth, he said.

He added he felt the site was ripe for development, saying: “What we have is a collection of unsightly derelict buildings – a relic of a bygone age.”

Tetbury ward member Cllr Stephen Hirst (Con, Tetbury) said he supported the application on the basis that the land had already been developed.

“This is the development of choice for a very large number of people in Tetbury,” he said. “In the spirit of localism it will create employment for almost 100 people.”

The decision came just days after a planning inquiry into a separate application that could see 250 homes build at neighbouring Highfield Farm concluded.

At the end of the inquiry, planning inspector Jessica Graham had said she would take the SIAC decision into account when making her recommendations to secretary of state for communities and local government Eric Pickles.

However, although the site was said to have the support of the majority of Tetbury residents, concerns were raised about the loss of land marked out for employment use, as well as arguments that the site had not been properly marketed.

Cllr Margaret Rickman (Lib Dem, Chesterton) said she did not think this was the correct site to develop on.

“I’m concerned about the loss of employment land,” she said. “We are going to have an economic upturn, hopefully soon, and Tetbury will need this land.

“I think it’s a retrograde step.”

The application was approved subject to a number of conditions being fulfilled including legal agreements regarding contributions made from the developer to the town, and the amount of affordable housing that would be included.