A highly contentious proposal to construct nearly 19,000 homes in the Cotswolds has moved closer to becoming a reality, despite strong opposition from local residents and councillors who fear it will irreversibly damage the region’s character.
Cotswold District Council is developing a new local plan that will allocate land for development between 2026 and 2043. Tasked by the Government to identify sites for significant new housing, the council has put forward a plan for 18,900 homes over this period.
At a council meeting on 12 August, councillors voted to progress the draft plan to the next stage of public consultation. The blueprint proposes concentrating 90 per cent of the new homes across ten strategic sites, including four in and around Cirencester, along with locations at Down Ampney, Driffield, Kemble, Fairford, Mickleton, and Moreton-in-Marsh.
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Opposition was led by Conservative group leader Tom Stowe (Campden and Vale), who condemned the plan for attempting to “shoehorn 18,000 homes into a handful of locations.” He criticised the Liberal Democrat majority for adopting housing targets they initially challenged, describing the proposals as damaging to communities, residents' wellbeing, and the district’s distinctive character.
Cllr Stowe raised concerns about the lack of detailed infrastructure plans to support such extensive development. He noted the plan’s “wish list” of infrastructure, with high-level cost estimates totalling £420 million, lacks clarity on delivery, costs, and funding-for example, a proposed Local Hub in Mickleton referencing “some” GP services without clear indicators on what facilities would actually be provided.
Expressing his opposition, Cllr Stowe stated, “We can’t just roll over and rubber stamp these numbers imposed by this rotten government; it is a resounding no from me.”
Other councillors shared worries about the scale of housing required by the Government. Liberal Democrat Councillor Paul Hodgkinson (Bourton-on-the-Water and Northleach), who abstained in the vote, expressed ongoing concerns about how the figures fail to consider the Cotswolds' unique environmental and landscape constraints. Both he and Lib Dem leader Mike Evemy (Siddington and Cerney Rural) have challenged the Government on the housing targets and written to various ministers seeking reconsideration.
Lisa Spivey (The Ampneys and Hampton), also leader of Gloucestershire County Council, acknowledged the importance of having a local plan but opposed the current draft. She highlighted particular concerns over allocations in Down Ampney, Driffield, Fairford, Moreton-in-Marsh, and Mickleton, arguing the Government’s target does not address housing affordability. She emphasised that affordable homes arise from council-built housing rather than market-driven developments.
Liberal Democrat Councillor Patrick Coleman (Stratton) cautioned that previous periods without a local plan had led to uncontrolled development in towns such as Tetbury, Fairford, and Moreton-in-Marsh.
Conservative councillor Gina Blomefield (Campden Vale) described the housing targets as “preposterous,” questioning whether promised infrastructure would materialise and relayed the distress felt by residents, particularly in Mickleton.
In response, Cllr Evemy acknowledged the difficult position councillors faced, caught “between a rock and a hard place.” While expressing a preference for fewer houses, he warned that an inspector would likely reject any plan that did not meet the Government’s imposed targets, potentially leading to the absence of a local plan altogether and leaving communities exposed to speculative development in the coming years.
Ultimately, the council voted 17 to 11, with two abstentions, to move the plan forward for public consultation. Liberal Democrat councillors mostly supported the motion, apart from Lisa Spivey and Craig Thurling (The Rissingtons) who voted against; Paul Hodgkinson and Jon Wareing (Bourton Village) abstained. All Conservative councillors voted against the plan.
The six-week public consultation will run from 24 August to 5 October 2026, featuring exhibitions and community meetings to allow residents to ask questions and provide formal feedback before the plan is submitted for independent examination.