Scenario 4 New strategic settlement

The Highnam / Churcham triangle suggestion is absolutely NOT a suitable area for this size of development. a. The traffic this development will generate will be disabling for the parish and area as a whole, causing major problems on our road network. Local commuters experience major traffic problems already in and around the Highnam and Over areas (B4215 & A40) and this development will dramatically increase these issues. This development would add at least 8,000 extra vehicles to the 10,000plus currently travelling daily along to and from Gloucester, the M5, Cheltenham and Ledbury. The highways infrastructure is not fit for purpose and is frequently hit by flooding from run-off and the River Severn bursting its banks. The A417 Maisemore road has been closed due to flooding at least 4-5 times already this year and that has a massive detrimental knock on effect pushing even more traffic onto the B4215 and A40 going from Highnam towards Gloucester. It can take at least 30 minutes even on a good day to get from Highnam to the Over roundabout and that should really only take 3 minutes. Add in 8,000 extra vehicles and flooding and it is a disaster. b. Prime arable land would be lost. c. This option only identifies land in the TBC area, and doesn’t share the responsibility with Gloucester and Cheltenham. Development West of Gloucester is fraught with so many complications and we only have 1 river crossing so everything bottlenecks as it is - without any further developments. d. This Highnam/Churcham development would have a huge detrimental impact on local biodiversity, increasing the possibility of flooding and water run-off risks not to mention the impact on climate with the increase in vehicular transport. e. The scale of this development could not be integrated into the community but would obliterate it due to its sheer size.

The garden town east of Ashchurch is the preferred option of the new strategic settlements. This will enable sustainable planning linked to the existing network of the motorway and railway line. This provides opportunities for innovative ideas.

Gloucestershire Young Planners support in principle the concept of new strategic settlements, however, we are mindful that other scenarios such as urban extensions offer favourable benefits such as a sense of community continuity and supports existing urban economies. Nevertheless, it is a strategy we support as long as they harness sustainable credentials and look at ways in which to reduce carbon emissions, enhance green infrastructure and biodiversity, and promote socially inclusive communities. Strategic settlements provide an opportunity to deliver significant housing and employment related development to meet the future needs of all three local authorities without putting considerable pressure on existing services and facilities in existing settlements. It is recognised that such developments require considerable investment in infrastructure to ensure existing networks are not at overcapacity and comprehensive transport evidence will need to be provided to support this development scenario. However, delivering new settlements provides the opportunity to design and deliver new infrastructure that would not only support emerging and existing communities, but pave the way to achieving a net zero carbon future.