Defiance in the face of court threat (From Tewkesbury Admag)

Defiance in the face of court threat

2:10pm Thursday 19th October 2006 in News

Wimpey Homes is taking Tewkesbury Borough Council to the High Court in a challenge to the local plan.

The plan, which details the way in which different areas can be developed, does not allocate the Wimpey-owned Homelands Farm site to the north of Bishop's Cleeve for housing.

The company originally wanted to build 1,800 homes on the site, but after opposition from councillors, this was cut to 450.

Head of local planning and regeneration Pat Richards said: "They cannot just go to the court and ask to have their areas included, they have to challenge specific areas of the plan.

"Things have moved on and a regional plan has now been developed, which specifically says that there should be no more housing development to the north of Bishop's Cleeve, and that it should in fact be designated as green belt.

"Even if the judge agreed that our local plan was faulty and we had to re-address parts of it, we would still not include the Homelands farm site for housing."

Local councillor Mike Beresford said; "I have been fighting plans for housing on that site since 1996. Wimpey first came to me then, as chairman of the parish council, and I told them that the first tractor or digger to go on there would do so over my body and I still say that the only way they will get on there is over my dead body.

"We have got to stop Bishop's Cleeve, Gotherington and Woodmancote merging with Cheltenham to become one conurbation."