PLANS for a new house in an area of Wotton-under-Edge subject to flooding have come under fire from neighbours and the town council.

The plans, for a detached house on a plot between 3 Dyers Brook and 2A Water Lane in the curtilage of a listed building, were considered at the March meeting of the town council's planning committee.

Neighbours attending the meeting claimed any development on the site would make the flooding problem worse and the proposed bridge over the stream would have a damming effect.

One neighbour said his house, which lies below street level in Dyers Brook, had suffered two floods, one causing £50,000 worth of damage.

The neighbour claimed that the further problem of the opening of sluice gates to lower the water level at Coombe Lakes had not been taken into consideration on the plans.

There was also concern that the proposed new house would overlook neighbouring properties.

Committee members were also opposed to the plans which, they said, were contrary to the district plan.

Wotton Town Clerk Glenys Sykes told the Gazette: "In 1998, the district plan stated development on land abutting this plot in question would be seriously detrimental to the area, so how can it be acceptable to build on land even closer to other housing?"

Councillors were anxious that a precedent should not be set for development on the far side of the stream and that listed building consent should be obtained.

Stroud District Council will consider the application after April 1, when the consultation period ends. The case officer is Eleanor Jackson.