Plans for a lorry park on the outskirts of Cirencester have been refused.

Members of Cotswold District Council's planning and licensing committee heard on Wednesday that drivers were being forced to go to the toilet in bottles and hedges due to a lack of facilities in the area, but unanimously agreed with officers that this did not outweigh the harm that would be caused to the Cotswold AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty).

Planning officer Andrew Moody said in his report that the development, located on Gloucester Road just south of the junction with the A417, would represent 'harmful and insufficiently justified major development within the AONB'.

He added that plans for 75 parking spaces and a facilities building would 'result in the encroachment of development into the open countryside and the replacement of an area of agricultural land that reads as part of the wider AONB rural landscape and contributes to the pleasant rural approach into Cirencester'.

Lay-bys packed with lorries

Mr Moody did admit that lay-bys were 'packed up with lorries' every night, and councillors heard impassioned pleas from members of the haulage industry about the need for better facilities.

Rhys Williams, regional operations manager for the Road Haulage Association, said: "Why should we think it is acceptable for a driver to complete a day's work and then sleep in a lay-by with no toilet or shower, no food and their personal safety and vehicle and load vulnerable to attack?

"This industry is facing a national driver shortage. That's not exactly attractive to recruiting new blood into our industry."

He pointed out that drivers had to adhere to strict work and rest hours, with the nearest facilities in Gloucester or Swindon at least 30 minutes away.

Applicant William Gilder made a similar argument.

"What person would want to do this job when this is the life you are asking them to lead? Drivers deserve some basic decency," he said.

But Cllr Jenny Forde, who represents Chedworth and Churn Valley where the proposed development is located, argued: "This is not about whether we care about HGV drivers. Of course we do.

"We have every sympathy with their plight for better conditions and recruitment. It's about this application on this site in a rural parish in an area of outstanding natural beauty.

"It is open countryside. The pollution inherent in building this would be devastating. Pouring concrete into a field, it actually gives me the shivers.

"We need to be accelerating nature recovery, why in the world would we want to put this in jeopardy?"

Residents of Daglingworth had previously expressed concerns the village would become a 'rat run' if the lorry park was built.

Fears Daglingworth could become 'rat run' if truck stop is approved

Cllr Julia Judd, whose Ermin ward includes the village, said of the development site: "This is a field surrounded by fields on every side.

"The road haulage industry has a massive problem on its hands but it's not the concern of this committee on this application on this field."

All 11 members of the committee voted to reject the plans.