Plans to build around 7,600 new homes in and around Cirencester have prompted questions about how the local road network, particularly the A417 and A419 corridors, will cope with the increased demand.
Cotswold District Council is currently developing its new local plan, which outlines housing and development strategies up to the year 2043. The council aims to identify sites for a total of 18,900 new homes, with approximately 90 per cent of these planned for ten strategic locations.
Among these is Driffield, a key site identified for significant development. Proposals for the area include building 1,090 homes during the plan period, alongside a new primary school, employment opportunities, and a local centre. However, there is potential for this figure to eventually rise to 2,220 homes.
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During a recent meeting, a concerned resident highlighted the scale of the proposed developments, pointing out that the council is considering 7,600 homes in the Cirencester vicinity. The resident expressed doubts about whether existing road infrastructure, particularly the A417 and A419 corridors, can handle the increased traffic.
He referred to the draft local plan for the neighbouring Stroud district, where inspectors raised issues over capacity at junctions 12 and 14 of the M5, and questioned whether similar assessments have been made regarding the Cotswold road network.
The resident stated: “Cotswold now proposes 7,597 dwellings of allocated capacity in and around Cirencester, with about 6,000 of these within the planned period. At Driffield, the strategic transport assessment only models 1,090 dwellings, yet the allocation could be more than double that. What confirmation has the council obtained from National Highways regarding their approval of the A417 and A419 corridor assessments for the full allocation?”
Andrew Maxted, interim head of planning policy and infrastructure at Cotswold District Council, responded by clarifying that the current evidence and transport assessments focus solely on the development planned up to 2043, specifically the 1,090 homes at Driffield. He noted that while the plan recognises the potential for further development beyond 2043, this is not formally allocated or tested at this stage. National Highways has been engaged primarily regarding the developments within the 2043 timeframe.
Following this discussion, the council’s overview and scrutiny committee recommended that further review of the proposed transport infrastructure be undertaken to ensure it adequately supports the planned housing growth.
Councillors are scheduled to debate the draft local plan at a special meeting on 12 August. Should the plan be approved, the council will launch a further six-week public consultation from 24 August until 5 October 2026.