TRAFFIC congestion in Wotton-under-Edge, described by one councillor as "absolutely impossible", could get even worse after a new housing development was given the go-ahead on Tuesday.

Stroud District Council's development control committee decided not to refuse an application to build 12 houses and a flat on the site of Wotton Motor Centre in Gloucester Street.

The houses have three or four bedrooms each but just one parking space allocated per property, which would force extra on-street parking and make existing problems much worse as a consequence.

However, principal planning officer (south) John Balfe explained that one space per home was enough according to planning regulations, so an appeal against refusal on those grounds would easily succeed.

Members voted by a majority of just two to allow the application to progress. During the discussion, committee member and Wotton ward councillor Paul Smith (Lib Dem) spoke at length to try and explain the difficulties the town's residents had with parking and traffic congestion.

He said: "Over the years we have had a lot of construction and infill within the town, usually with zero parking.

"The car parks that we have got are very well used, especially in the evenings when they are absolutely full up."

A previous application had incorporated a widening of Gloucester Street to provide further parking spaces, but opposition from Gloucestershire County Council's highways department has resulted in those spaces being removed from the plan.

Cllr Smith added: "What will actually happen is that we will get parking on both sides of the road, which will be a big problem because Gloucester Street is not wide enough for that, so we will get parking on the pavement.

"This sort of thing is undermining the economy in Wotton-under-Edge because there will be nowhere for visitors to park."

However, Cllr Smith did concede that it was better for the town to have a new housing development in it rather than a derelict garage.

Cllr John Jones (Con, Severn) agreed with most of the points made by Cllr Smith, saying: "To try and get through Wotton is absolutely impossible at various times."

The lack of an adequate public transport service was highlighted by Cllr Smith as the reason the town had so many cars in it.

To deal with this situation he suggested that the developers could be asked to take one or two houses out of the plan to provide extra parking spaces for the remaining homes, but other members disagreed.

Both Cllr Ray Apperley (Con, The Stanleys) and Cllr Linda Durrans (Lab, Over Stroud) drew members attention back to Mr Balfe's point that the parking issue was within required regulations and refusal would most likely lead to a costly appeal being lost.

The planning officers' advice to resolve not to refuse permission subject to a range of conditions was moved with a majority of members voting (Seven to five with two abstentions) in favour of the motion.