Plans to build nearly 19,000 new homes in the Cotswolds over the next 20 years have sparked fears among residents that their communities, including the small village of Driffield near Cirencester, could be irreparably harmed.
The Government has tasked Cotswold District Council with devising a housing development strategy for the area. Council leaders are currently reviewing a draft local plan that will guide housing, employment, and leisure development until 2043.
This draft proposes the establishment of ten strategic sites which would accommodate 90% of the new housing. However, in villages such as Driffield-where up to 1,090 homes could be constructed-residents have criticised the plan as “crazy” and fear it will “ruin everything about the community”.
At a cabinet meeting held on 6 August, Liberal Democrat council leader Mike Evemy, representing Siddington and Cerney Rural, acknowledged the “anxiety and concern” the draft plan has caused among residents. He explained that the council is working under a Government-imposed housing target.
“When the new government was elected two years ago, they set a target of building 1.5 million homes over five years-averaging 300,000 annually,” said Cllr Evemy. “Because of this, the expected number of homes to be built in the Cotswold district has more than doubled to over 1,000 per year, up from less than 500.”
He elaborated that the council’s existing policies are considered outdated, resulting in a shift favouring development, often speculative, beyond previously allocated sites.
Cllr Evemy also noted that he has written to three different government ministers but has been told on each occasion that the housing target will not be revised.
Neil White, speaking on behalf of Driffield Parish Council at the meeting, emphasised the potential devastation to the village, which currently comprises around 40 houses. “People who have lived here for years love it,” he said. “This is going to ruin it. It’s just crazy. It’s ruining a community and everything about it in every single sense.”
Cllr Evemy expressed his understanding of the community’s concerns: “There are communities like yours elsewhere in the district experiencing similar anxiety and worry. We fully appreciate the emotions you have expressed.”
When asked whether these concerns would be taken into account, Cllr Evemy responded, “Members must consider all views and come to a considered decision. That is our role as councillors. We were elected to do a job, and sometimes that involves making difficult decisions.”