Brizen Farm plans to go before Planning Committee next week

3.39.00pm GMT Wed 27th Jan 2010

Plans to build 350 houses plus and a 1,000 space Park and Ride on land at Brizen Farm, Shurdington Road which are due to be heard by a Public Inquiry later in the year are now due to go before Tewkesbury Borough Council's Planning Committee next week (Tuesday 02 February).

Developers Newbridge Construction applied to build the development on the Green Belt site on Shurdington Road in December 2008 and made an Appeal against Tewkesbury Borough Council for Non Determination when the application was not decided within the required timescale.

Opponents believe the Planning Inspectorate want the council to make a decision on the scheme before it goes to the Public Inquiry. But campaigners are critical of the fact that they have only been given one week's notice of the application going to committee.

Planning officers are recommending the scheme is refused on the grounds that it would represent inappropriate development in the Green Belt which would harm its openness and would not comply with the purposes of including land within Green Belts. They also say the proposals would represent an unwarranted intrusion into the open countryside.

Whilst the recommendations from officers are encouraging for opponents of the scheme, officers also say the grant of planning permission in advance of consideration of a wider comprehensive development in the locality would prejudice the comprehensive planning of a mixed-use, sustainable urban extension and completion of the Joint Core Strategy; leaving the door open for development at a future date.

Martin Horwood MP said "I'm delighted that Tewkesbury's officers have recommended refusal of this intrusion into the Green Belt. The developers are trying to take advantage of the current government's Regional Spatial Strategy before it is ditched altogether. But it is very regrettable that the local community has been given so little time to prepare for the planning committee meeting. So often this seems like an unequal battle against the developers".

County Councillor Klara Sudbury, All Saints (Lib Dem) who represents residents in Leckhampton said "I am pleased to see the recommendation by Officers is for refusal and urge members of the Planning Committee to accept this advice. However, we have had one weeks' notice of the application going before committee and that is very short notice. This is greenbelt land, which is used at different times of the year for grazing sheep. It is sad that the conclusions of the officers report leave it open to development at some stage in the near future. We should prioritize development on brown field sites first before we venture into building on useful pasture land."