CONTENTIOUS  plans to build thousands of homes in the Chesterton area of Cirencester have been submitted to Cotswold District Council (CDC).

Cotswold District Council (CDC) has included proposals to build  2,350 homes on land owned by Lord Bathurst in its Local Plan document, which sets out future development in the district.

The outline application from Bathurst Development Ltd (BDL) has now been submitted and includes proposals to build 2350 homes, and the development of 9.1 hectares of employment land as well as creating infrastructure at Chesterton.

BDL said that if the plans go ahead, millions will be  spent on improving local infrastructure and  up to £40 million will be generated in local spend each year,

Many people in the town think that Cirencester's infrastructure cannot cope with thousands of new homes and have fought against the proposals ever since they were first announced last year.

But CDC believes that the Chesterton site is the only realistic option to accomodate the Cotswolds housing requirements and said it is “sustainable and deliverable”.

A spokesman for BDL said: “This is an important milestone in the delivery of a new community neighbourhood that will complement the character and appearance of this unique town – a community that will integrate well with Chesterton, the town centre and the wider countryside.  Our proposals will help to meet the growing demand for new homes and jobs – from first time buyers to downsizers and those most in need.


“We will invest millions of pounds in the local road network, utilities infrastructure, schools and community facilities. This forms an integral part of our philosophy to create a lasting legacy for the town.  Once fully occupied, our estimates shows that the scheme could also generate up to £40 million a year in local spend - helping to guarantee the future prosperity of Cirencester as a market town and as a highly desirable place to live, work and enjoy leisure activities.”

BDL said it is committed to delivering a "lasting legacy" that will be enjoyed by future generations.

The developer has highlighted seven reasons that  it says will ensure its legacy can be delivered:

  • Series of Parameter Plans submitted as part of this application will set the land uses, maximum building heights and areas of Green Infrastructure for the site, effectively fixing the scope of any subsequent detailed applications. 

 

  • The Design and Access Statement accompanying the application establishes an indicative layout, and sets the design principles of the scheme, and this has been informed through extensive public consultation with local residents and stakeholders. 

 

  •  BDL has committed to provide a bespoke design code which will serve as an extra quality benchmark for the whole development. 

 

  •  It is expected that an extensive list of planning conditions will be attached to a planning permission in the event it is granted by CDC. These will effectively control the delivery of the development and set out the timescales for the delivery of the infrastructure and other financial payments. 

 

  • BDL will also enter into a legally binding contract with the Council (S106 Agreement) that will control the timing and delivery of developer obligations on the site and in the surrounding area. 

 

  •  A series of reserved matters applications for each part of the site would then be submitted over a number of years which would contain even more detail but within the confines and principles established by the parameter plans, Design and Access Statement and Design Codes.  

 

  •   As master developer, BDL is able to and will impose rigorous controls through any contract with house builders and commercial developers to ensure its aspirations for a high quality development are strictly adhered to. 

Deputy Leader of CDC and cabinet member for Forward Planning, Nick Parsons said  that the submission of the BDL outline application will not undermine the independent inspector’s decision on the emerging Local Plan, which includes a proposal for a development site at Chesterton.

He said: “It is not unusual for developers to submit outline planning applications which relate to proposals in emerging Local Plans. The developer will understand that the final determination of the strategy for Chesterton in the Local Plan will be made by an independent inspector who will take into account the evidence gathered to support the Local Plan, including relevant representations submitted by the public and the relevant technical information accompanying the BDL application.

“Should the Local Plan proposals be approved by an inspector, the development would have to be completed by 2031, and similar scale projects elsewhere would indicate that the consultation process following the submission of an outline application could take several months and perhaps even a year. Similarly, the fine details would be subject to further lengthy planning applications and consultations before the Planning Committee could decide whether to permit or refuse them.”

 

The CDC Lib Dems slammed the proposals and called for the council to build homes across the Cotswolds instead of Chesterton.

Leader of the party, Joe Harris said: “We have a housing crisis in Cirencester and the Cotswolds that needs tackling, proposals for 2300 homes on the Chesterton Farm site, South West of Cirencester, will have a severe and detrimental effect on the sustainability of Cirencester and rather than really tackling the housing crisis they will line the pockets of Lord Bathurst.
 
“Local people have made it clear that we need and want more housing but that the proposed development isn’t the right answer. The Lib Dems have consistently opposed these plans and we believe that homes should be spread across the Cotswolds not just on one huge site in Cirencester. Only this strategy will address the housing crisis.”
 

The application has been made in parallel with the council’s new Local Plan process and its emerging housing strategy.

This is the initial stage in the planning process for consideration of the BDL application, and CDC officers will be taking steps to register the application before publishing the details online.

It will also be making them available for public inspection  to allow people to submit representations.

The council expects the registration work for the application will take ”some time”.

CDC said that because of the complexity of the application, it  will ensure that people have sufficient time to submit their comments.

The council will alert the public, through extensive advertising, when the documentation is ready for public inspection.

Sue Jepson, CDC Cabinet Member for Planning and Housing, said: “Due to the scale and complex nature of the outline application, it is acknowledged by the council and the developer that the consideration of the application will take a good deal longer than the statutory 13 week period. Therefore both parties have entered into a Planning Performance Agreement which sets out the expected timescale for dealing with the application. Initially, the Planning Performance Agreement sets out a 9 month period to bring the outline application to the Council’s Planning Committee for a resolution, with a further period set aside to discuss contributions required towards infrastructure both off and on site. However, the timescales set out in the Planning Performance Agreement will be subject to regular review by both parties as the application progresses.”

CDC asks  that submission of any comments on  the Chesterton application should not be made until it has been advertised, and it  recommends that comments should be made on-line via the council’s website.

To make a comment on the plans for the homes at Chesterton visit www.cotswold.gov.uk and search for  the planning register.

Visiting the planning register will enable people to follow the progress of the application, including additional information and amendments, provided they register for the Public Access service and track the application.