PATRICK Moylan has thrown down a challenge (Standard letters, April 23) inviting prospective councillors to state their position on Cotswold District Council’s (CDC) draft Local Plan containing proposals for a planned new development of 2,350 new homes plus a business park to be built on 120 hectares (297 acres) of arable farm land adjoining Chesterton.

As a Conservative candidate I would say that Cirencester does have to accept its fair share of housing needs in the district but I would also agree that the Chesterton development as proposed does seem disproportionate to the extent that Cirencester, which accounts for 25 per cent of the district’s population, is being asked to accept 44 per cent of its housing requirements.

So it does seem to me that some scaling back of these proposals to more manageable numbers is required – perhaps to somewhere in the region of 1,500 new homes – which, whilst arguably still too many for those who oppose Chesterton in principle, would achieve a more equitable near 25:25 per cent population-to-housing balance that could more easily be integrated with Cirencester and not so easily overwhelm it.

The shortfall of about 1,000 new homes could then be shared more evenly throughout the district, matched more closely to employment opportunities including those of neighbouring authorities, by counting in small-scale windfall developments needed to sustain the smaller hamlets, villages and market towns in a way that does not destroy the unique rural character of these settlements or conflict with the Cotswolds designation (and tourist destination) as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

The Chesterton development would of course need to be fully supported in terms of improved and upgraded infrastructure and services that would benefit Cirencester – highways, super-fast broadband, public transport, car parking, health and education, plus (most importantly) drainage and sewerage disposal – on which advance commitments would need to be secured before the first footings were laid or the first house occupied. Not forgetting that with a development of this scale, adding to existing pressures on already over-stretched infrastructure, it could not be left to chance that it might happen, or would happen on a reduced scale, or would not happen at all.

There will be a further round of public consultation on these draft Local Plan proposals and this needs to be managed to good effect to secure the best possible outcome in balancing the need for more housing against protecting the unique Cotswolds market town image of Cirencester.

I cannot speak for other candidates or other parties who must speak for themselves, as I note some have done with regard to protecting the Humpty Dumps, the application to designate this area as a Village Green having recently been rejected.

So, for what it is worth, this is my personal position, which I believe is shared by other Conservative town and district council candidates standing for election in Cirencester on May 7.

STUART TARR

Conservative Party Candidate

The Beeches Ward

Cirencester