I REFER to Gordon Burley’s letter (Standard, May 11). He makes the comparison between a development called Manydown, near Basingstoke, and the proposed development for Chesterton.

The important points that he makes are: Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council have a Local Plan. They submitted the plan for 2011-2029, in October 2014. It has been subject to public hearings, that took place in October and November 2015 and declared sound by the planning inspector in April 2016.

Compare this with the shambolic performance of Cotswold District Council (CDC) who have still not submitted their plan for 2011-2031.  Their original target date for submission of a draft Local Plan and final Sustainability Appraisal was June/July 2016, for examination by the planning inspectorate in Spring 2017.  It is now May 2017 and CDC have still not submitted their Local Plan to be examined in public by a planning inspector.  Yet the ‘cornerstone’ of their local plan under section 7.1.1.2 Strategic Site South of Chesterton, is for 2,350 houses to be built on the Chesterton site.

Let’s be very clear, the Local Plan should be submitted and determined by an appointed inspector before any consideration is given to the Bathurst development outline planning application.  This is a position supported by Cirencester Town Council.

In reality, if Cotswold District Council determine this application ahead of a public examination of the Local Plan, this amounts to CDC determining what the Local Plan inspector should be determining: ie: whether or not CDC’s planned distribution of housing is right for the Cotswold District.

This is equivalent to passing your own car for an MOT at your local MOT station.

We at Save Our Cirencester are now requesting that both CDC and Bathurst Development Ltd (BDL) wait for the Local Plan inspector to examine the now overdue Local Plan (2011-31) in public and pass his/her judgement on it before CDC determine BDL’s outline planning application for 2,350 houses at Chesterton – as this site lies outside the current development boundary.  This is covered by Policy 19, which is still in force, and is a saved policy from the 2001-2011 Local Plan which currently still stands, until the new Local Plan is approved by an inspector following public examination.

MARK PRATLEY

Chairman of SOC