Kevin Pascoe, a 65-year-old Cheltenham resident, was shocked to discover that his family home had been included without his consent in the extensive Elms Park housing development near Junction 10 of the M5. The scheme, comprising 4,115 new homes, was recently approved by planning committees in both Cheltenham and Tewkesbury.
Despite consistently rejecting overtures from developers to incorporate his Uckington property—known as Fairfield—into the project, Mr. Pascoe learned from a neighbour that his home appeared in the planning documents submitted on May 29. At a Cheltenham Borough Council meeting, he asserted that neither he nor his wife had been consulted about including their property, which has been their family residence for over 30 years.
“We believe we are being misrepresented and take strong exception to it,” Mr. Pascoe stated. “Our property’s inclusion without our consent is unacceptable, and we demand its removal, including any references under ‘third party land’.”
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Mr. Pascoe recounted previous encounters with developers Bloor Homes and Persimmon, who first approached him in 2009 proposing option and promotion agreements. He declined these offers, explaining that while he had no objection to future development of the land, he wished to maintain control over the timing and was not interested in active participation.
In 2015, Bloor Homes reached out again, but his position remained unchanged. Moreover, Mr. Pascoe attended a meeting at Tewkesbury Borough Council to discuss development interest, where he emphasized his unwillingness to approve any plan involving his property during his ownership.
Alarmed by the planning application’s submission without his knowledge, Mr. Pascoe contacted the planning case officer, Paul Instone, hoping to address his concerns. Although assured that the documents would be updated, no revised plans have surfaced.
Adding to his frustration, Mr. Pascoe was denied the opportunity to speak at Tewkesbury Borough Council’s planning committee on the matter—a decision he found “astounding.”
In response, Councillor Simon Wheeler highlighted that while anyone can submit a planning application involving someone else’s land, development cannot proceed without the landowner’s consent, sale, or agreement. This echoed assurances from Mr. Instone.
Councillor Barbara Clark voiced sympathy for Mr. Pascoe and advocated for changes to council rules to allow multiple objectors to speak during major development hearings. However, Cheryl Lester, the chief planning lawyer, noted the current limitation of one speaking slot per objector or supporter, emphasizing that this restriction applied to both councils.
The controversy underscores the challenges homeowners face in large-scale development projects, especially when planning processes advance without direct communication with affected residents.