Residents of Churcham and surrounding villages have expressed strong opposition to proposed plans for a new town near Gloucester, describing the plans as “absolute madness” due to fears over worsening traffic congestion and strained local services.
More than 50 villagers packed a meeting at Churcham Primary School to challenge the Forest of Dean District Council’s latest local plan, which outlines development strategies for the next 20 years. The plan aims to accommodate more than 13,000 new homes to meet a government-imposed housing target nearly double previous requirements.
Central to the controversy are proposals for two new settlements: one near the A40 outside Churcham, proposing 2,000 homes, and another near the A417 in Redmarley, with 3,500 dwellings. Locals fear the massive increase in vehicles—estimated at around 9,000 additional cars—will overload already pressured roads, especially around the A40 corridor and nearby bottlenecks like Highnam.
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Paul Thomas, speaking at the parish council meeting, highlighted the traffic squeeze at the Highnam bus lane, noting that traffic funnels over the River Severn bridge, creating severe pinch points during peak hours. “It’s absolute madness to put a load of houses on one of the most strategic pinch points,” he said. “The roads are already over capacity, and many people endure hour-and-a-half long delays every morning.”
Residents also voiced concerns about flooding risks, insufficient local infrastructure, lack of shops, and whether nearby Gloucestershire Royal Hospital can cope with the increased population demand. Criticism was also directed at local politicians; Green Party councillors were accused of contradicting their own policies, while Labour councillors were faulted for backing the administration’s controversial plans.
The council’s handling of the local plan has sparked a vote of no confidence in the Green leadership at a recent meeting in Coleford. Council leader Adrian Birch explained that the housing target was imposed by the Government despite the council’s unsuccessful appeal against it. He emphasized that without an approved local plan, the council risks losing control over development, facing speculative applications from developers.
Acknowledging the challenges of balancing development and preserving their rural, environmentally sensitive district, the council encourages residents to share feedback on the draft plan. Landowners interested in proposing potential development sites are invited to submit forms through the council’s website, while all comments can be directed via email or post to the Local Plans Team at Forest of Dean District Council.