MORE has been revealed over talks which have taken place over a blueprint which could shape where tens of thousands of homes are built in Gloucestershire over the next decades including in the Stroud district

A discussion paper which suggested options such as “merging Cheltenham with Gloucester” while creating new garden towns across the county to build 142,400 new homes by 2051 was leaked earlier this month.

Shire Hall bosses say they have been in talks with district council leaders over the last four years over a long-term growth strategy for the county.

The leaked document looks at options for sustainable growth and public transport infrastructure to help support the extra housing needed in the county.

The confidential draft discussion paper suggests the creation of new garden towns in places such as Standish, Cam, Moreton-in-Marsh, Kemble, Northwood Green near Westbury-on-Severn and Aylburton near Lydney and Boddington.

The draft strategy also proposes removing the green belt north of the A40 between Cheltenham and Gloucester.

While Gloucestershire County Council is responsible for planning infrastructure improvements, district councils are ultimately responsible for where new housing should be built.

Each of the districts has its own local plan, which is a periodically reviewed and updated blueprint for development.

Below are some of the dates from a chronology of when senior officers at Shire Hall met and discussed the paper with district council colleagues.

Chronology

19 November 2019

Gloucestershire County Council’s (GCC) executive director Colin Chick emails all district chief executives (DCXs) setting out that his PA would be in touch with each of their offices to arrange one to one meetings with them and their lead cabinet members and GCC lead cabinet members to begin discussing a countywide strategy on Gloucestershire’s economy and growth agenda.

Mr Chick’s PA follows this up the same day by writing to Cotswold District Council (CDC) asking for availability for a meeting with the Chief Executive, Cllr Joe Harris and Cllr Tony Dale. Meeting arranged for January 30, 2020.

Dates of other district meetings were:

Gloucester 11 November 2019

Stroud 13 November 2019

Tewkesbury 6 November 2019

Forest of Dean 6 January 2020

Cheltenham 8 January 2020