Taits Hill speculative application – IMPORTANT UPDATE
Taits Hill application S.25.0447/OUT – update following Cam Parish Council Planning & Highways Meeting on 09/04/25
A member of the Taits Hill action group attended the CPC Planning & Highways meeting and covered a wide range of concerns about this speculative development for 73 houses and asked for CPCs support. CPC will object and agreed to share their response to the application with Stinchcombe Parish Council and have already reached out.
There are a myriad of issues with this application, not least that it is an application for access only with all other matters reserved, meaning that once permission is given for access, what actually gets built is likely to be nothing like the glossy image presented and doubtless the 30% affordable housing will be a distant memory (Affordable Housing comment – The Affordable Housing Statement states that 30% affordable housing will be provided on-site, which is welcomed. However, the Statement goes on to say ‘The proposed mix and location of the affordable dwellings, however, will be determined in any future reserved matters application. This later application will define the size of each unit, the number of bedrooms they provide, and where they are located within the site.’
This isn’t correct, as the unit mix, tenure, type and size will need to be secured via a S.106 agreement at the outline application stage.).
Here is a list of problems with the application:
1. Traffic Volumes, Speeds and road safety – we all know it’s a dangerous, winding road with several accidents and fatalities over the years.
2.The proposed access point is situated on a bend, with an entirely unsuitable and inadequate splay which compromises visibility for both entering and exiting vehicles.
3. The proposed pedestrian crossing is merely a pavement with a crossing surface and you’d be walking away from the direction of Woodfields/Cam/ Dursley to use it so it’s unlikely it would be used. Instead you’d have pedestrians making a dash across the road on a blind bend.
4. Water pressure and infrastructure in that road has been an issue for years. How many times recently has the road been closed or lights erected due to urgent repairs?
5. Loss of Habitat and insufficient biodiversity mitigation – the claims being made are unrealistic. Community orchards are notoriously difficult to establish and maintain and left to local residents to deal once the developer walks away. This proposed site has no public access which makes it even more difficult to evoke local ownership which is crucial to its success
6. Impact on the Landscape and AONB Vista – the proposed development would adversely affect the landscape character and the visual amenity of the AONB.
7. Erosion of the Buffer Zone Between Cam and Stinchcombe Parishes – The development would reduce the green buffer separating Cam and Stinchcombe, leading to potential coalescence of the settlements. This is inconsistent with NPPF para. 174, which emphasizes the need to recognize the intrinsic character and beauty of the countryside. It is important to maintain a sense of place to avoid urban sprawl.
8. Strain on Cam’s Infrastructure and Facilities – we are already at and beyond capacity – our doctors, dentists, schools, sports facilities etc.
9. This development is unsustainable due to the high expectation that residents will walk to facilities which is unrealistic as well as unsafe. It is far more likely that residents will rely solely on journeys by car, compounding all of the above issues.
10. This application is not in the local plan.
Please do make your comments known to SDC either on the planning portal https://publicaccess.stroud.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=SSRFHFPNG5Q00
or email : planning@stroud.gov.uk quoting the application number.
It is so important we have our say and, if nothing else, public scrutiny means corners cannot be cut. We are trying to get a confirmed date for the submission of responses but it’s likely to be sometime in May.
It is expected that this application will be ‘called in’ and be decided by the Development Control Committee (like Bowers Lea). The developer has openly stated that they will be taking advantage of the current ‘build, build, build’ environment we sadly find ourselves in 😩. This will be quite a test for SDC and most likely a later appeal.