Stroud District Council has been advised by Government-appointed inspectors to withdraw their ambitious blueprint to build 12,000 new homes, due to unresolved concerns about the capacity of M5 motorway junctions 12 and 14. The plan, which outlines strategic growth for the area through 2040, faces criticism because it does not adequately address the necessary upgrades to these critical transport links.
Earlier this year, inspectors raised serious doubts about whether junctions 12 and 14 could handle the increased traffic generated by the proposed housing growth. In response, Stroud District Council submitted new evidence from National Highways assessing the junction capacities, which directly responded to inspectors’ earlier concerns. The council requested additional hearings to further examine this new information and its impact on the plan’s soundness.
Despite this, the inspectors have maintained that the best course of action is to withdraw the local plan from examination, refusing to consider the fresh evidence or reopen the hearings. This decision has been met with disappointment at Ebley Mill, where council officials feel critical new data is being overlooked.
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Council leader Chloe Turner expressed strong disagreement with the inspectors’ stance. “The council fundamentally disagrees with the Inspectors’ interpretation of the new evidence and will be responding formally in due course,” she said.
Stroud District Council still operates under its adopted local plan from 2015, which continues to guide planning decisions, helping to prevent unsuitable developments and safeguard the environment while ensuring infrastructure accompanies new housing and jobs. Meanwhile, the council remains committed to developing a new local plan that will articulate a strategic vision for the district’s next 20 years.