THE draft consultation documents were approved by Cotswold District Council Cabinet on December 4 and were available to read online on their website. Unfortunately, in parts, CDC has been economical with the truth as to the suitability of location of the proposed Chesterton Farm site – doubtless CDC will be able to explain.

In the draft consultation document Appendix A p31, we are told that “The town centre is approximately 1.3km to the north of the site”. This is true as the crow flies, to the nearest part of the site. CDC should have added “to the proposed centre is 1.9km and farthest part of the site is some 2.4km”. But motorists, cyclists and pedestrians cannot fly and all have to cross the 70mph dual carriageway using roads and footpaths . A quick check on Google Maps would have told CDC that walking from the Parish Church in the Market Place to Chesterton Farm is 1.6 miles or 2.6km with a duration of 31 minutes.

However, it gets even worse, in the Evidence Paper (To inform Non-Strategic Housing and Employment Site Allocations) p207 we are told “A large part of the Strategic Site is within a ten-minute walk of the town centre”. This is false; Google Maps says 31 minutes.

Claims are made for new employment, much of this adjacent to existing commercial premises in Wilkinson Road and only 1.5km from Chesterton Farm, as the crow flies across open fields. However, this journey is much longer for pedestrians and cyclists, and even farther for car drivers. A more-direct road might be built eventually, but would almost certainly be many years after the houses are built.

If the CDC case for building 2,350 homes at the Strategic Site on Chesterton Farm is that good then why is CDC making misleading claims? It is much farther from the town centre than CDC would have us believe, certainly too far for most future residents there to contemplate walking.

In its Future Growth for Cirencester leaflet, CDC makes many promises for new facilities at Chesterton, but previously it did so for a GP surgery, local shops and bus services at Kingshill which have not materialised. CDC must be judged on its track record, which in this respect is poor.

The Chesterton Farm development is certainly not a “done deal” and this time all the comments received must be considered not only by CDC but also a government iInspector. Public consultation on the 2015 Local Plan runs from Friday, January 16 until Friday, February 27. This is the opportunity for Cirencester residents to submit their objections.

JOHN NICHOLAS

Alexander Drive, Cirencester