Plans for 235 new homes on nearly 24 acres west of the A4135 at Draycott, near the M5 in Gloucestershire, have been approved despite ongoing concerns about road safety and congestion. The development, proposed by Robert Hitchins Limited, forms part of a wider project that will eventually encompass 1,000 homes, extending the north-western boundary of Draycott and Cam.
Developers describe the scheme as an opportunity to create an “attractive” neighbourhood well integrated into the area’s expansion. However, the project has met with opposition from dozens of residents worried about the loss of village identity and the merging of parishes into a larger urban sprawl.
At the Stroud District Council’s development control committee meeting on 28 July, Councillor Tina Walker of Cam Parish Council urged that the application be deferred until several key issues, including road safety, ecological impacts, and development density, are fully addressed. She highlighted ongoing concerns about traffic management, particularly at the Box Road junction, which Gloucestershire County Council (GCC) has recognised requires redevelopment.
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“The Box Road junction is an ongoing concern,” Cllr Walker commented. “Gloucestershire County Council agrees that it needs redevelopment as part of the Persimmon and Robert Hitchins development.”
She also noted GCC’s recommendation to refuse the plans due to unresolved issues around the proposed roundabout at Goldfinch Edge and the estate’s exit spine road. Furthermore, she pointed out that entrance and exit arrangements, along with emergency vehicle access, remain unfinalised. The entrance being supplied by the neighbouring Persimmon development has yet to receive GCC approval, and the parish council insists that such matters should not be deferred to planning conditions.
Additional worries were voiced by Labour councillor Terri Kinnison (Cam West), who acknowledged the considerable impact the development will have across the wider area. She emphasised that Cam residents and district councillors are concerned about the village’s continued expansion without corresponding infrastructure improvements. Previous promises for upgrades have not materialised, leading to issues such as increased noise, dust, mud, and traffic delays.
Council officers clarified that the current application is for outline planning permission, with access details to be considered in later stages. John Chaplin, majors and environment team manager, stated, “As this is an outline application, access isn’t under consideration at this stage.”
Councillor Lindsey Green (Conservative, Berkeley Vale) raised questions over how enforceable the planning conditions would be, also querying whether local GP surgeries and secondary schools have sufficient capacity for the incoming residents. Officers confirmed that developer contributions have been requested to support these services.
Other councillors raised safety concerns about local junctions and traffic flow. Councillor Martin Pearcy (Green, Coaley and Uley) warned of likely congestion near Cam and Dursley station, saying, “They might get in but they won’t get out… I do really think it is going to be a real congestion area.”
Similarly, councillor Milly Hill (Liberal Democrat, Cam East) stressed the importance of a new spine road and exit roundabout, highlighting a narrow and dangerous railway bridge from Slimbridge into Cam as a local hazard. She also referenced residents’ ongoing difficulties coping with noise and dust from existing building work.
Although a proposal to defer the application until receipt of formal GCC highway feedback and clarification on developer contributions was made by Cllr Green, it was not seconded. Labour Councillor Dave Matthews (Cainscross) recommended granting outline permission with advisories to flag outstanding concerns for future consideration during reserved matters applications.
The committee voted to grant outline permission by six votes in favour, two against, and one abstention.