It has to be noted, though, that Nailsworth Town council have been unimpressed by Dale’s record on keeping to similar agreements in the past.

Although they gave no real reasons beyond the fact that it was an ‘iconic’ building, the Stroud planning officers had recommended that the Committee should approve the application – going directly against the provisions of the current Local Plan and the Eastington Neighbourhood plan.  Planning law requires that applications for planning permission be determined in accordance with the (local)development plan, unless material considerations indicate otherwise. We do not think that ‘material considerations’ have been shown, certainly not outweighing the harm that would be caused both to the character – and residents –  of the area in general and to William Morris College in particular (see previous posts).

We there fore believe that the officers were wrong to make their recommendation to approve,  and the Committee was lax in not questioning the reasons more fully.

The application has been referred to The Secretary of state for DCLG ( Local Government) who has 21 days from 18/12/19 to decide whether to initiate a public enquiry.  This process is normally reserved for larger applications, but the (we believe) inappropriate overruling of the Local Plan makes this about much more that the stadium.  Green spaces throughout the district may be at risk unlawfully.

Our new MP Siobhan Baillie is supporting us in this.

Update 11/02/2020 – The Secretary of State for DCLG has  extended the time needed to make a decision on this.  We await news.

Update March 2020 – the call in was declined.  The outline permission stands.

Continue reading Stadium proposal REFUSED – and cynically resubmitted! →

Highways England have made their response to the new stadium proposal (as amended to be just the football stadium complex  on the north side of the A419).   In summary they require that conditions are attached to any planning permission to say that  specified road improvements both to the A419 and the M5 junction are to be completed FIRST.

The required mitigation measures include the dualling of the A419 carriageway between M5 J13 and the Chipmans Platt Roundabout and changes to the white lining and signing at M5 J13, to allow greater capacity to be achieved from this junction. This allows for both lanes of the northbound and southbound off slips to be used to travel east, exiting via the A419 towards Stonehouse.

 You can read their full response here:-

S.16_0043_OUT-HIGHWAYS_ENGLAND-2148658

Following discussions with Stroud District Planners,  Ecotricity have been advised that their original proposal would not fly and so  have amended their planning application.

It retains the original planning reference  S.16/0043/OUT

The planning application no longer includes any employment/business and the proposed Nature Conservation Area to the west of the M5 has been removed.

The ‘Sports Complex’ has been reduced in scale and repositioned to the north of the A419 as shown Continue reading The New Ecotricity Stadium Proposal →

Any one is entitled to object to a planning application.

And you can do so as often as you like – in particular whenever a new piece of ‘information’ comes to the fore.

You can do so by going on-line to the Stroud website by clicking  This Link   and enter  S.16/0043/OUT  in the ‘simple search’ box.

You  can also write to The Planning Office at Ebley Mill, Stroud and quote ref: S.16/0043/OUT.    Be sure to make clear that you are objecting (rather than just commenting, say) and give one or two (not a dozen!)  good planning-based reasons.    The following are all valid reasons, which you can adapt to your own ‘voice’

Continue reading How Do I Object to the Ecotricity Planning Application? →

The “Eco Park” Development Proposal:

Personal reflections of a resident on why we should object.

Continue reading Why I object to the Eco Park developoment →

Ecotricity and the Local Plan

The NPPF, the Government’s planning guideline, whilst promoting a presumption in favour of sustainable development, requires that primacy be given to adopted Local Development Plans.  Stroud has had an adopted Local Plan since December 2015. Continue reading Ecotricity and the 2016 Local Plan →

Findings of Desk Top Review of  Documents  Submitted to SDC  Planning (15/05/2017)

At the time of writing,  approximately 530 supportive statements have been received (many on a pre-printed ‘form’), some coming from as far as Edinburgh, Bradford , London and Norwich.  To date approximately 155 objecting statements have been received.

I have outlined below the main reasons that have been given in support  of the proposal.  More often than not, they are the same reasons that other people are using to oppose the development so hopefully this will give you a clearer insight into the debate…………

Continue reading Jo’s Review of Responses to EcoPark →

Forest Green Rovers (and/or associates) have apparently plied their supporters with a postcard  ‘form’ on which to express support for the Ecotricity scheme by ticking boxes, as below and sending in to SDC.  You can see them  on the  Stroud planning website   (search ref: S.16/0043/OUT) – they will count as letters of support.

You may wish to write to counter these arguments – which is not too hard to do! – Go on to the website above, or write to the Planning Office at Ebly Mill and quote the reference S.16/0043/OUT.

Read on to see some of their points and our answers….

Continue reading Answers on a postcard… →