Planning permission granted for 2,000 homes to be built at Gaydon/Lighthorne Heath - The Stratford Observer

Planning permission granted for 2,000 homes to be built at Gaydon/Lighthorne Heath

Stratford Editorial 25th May, 2016 Updated: 28th Oct, 2016   0

PLANS to build up to 2,000 homes on land at Gaydon and Lighthorne Heath (GLH) have been given the go-ahead.

Members of Stratford District Council’s planning east committee granted permission for the development following a three-and-a-half hour meeting on Tuesday evening (May 25).

As part of its Core Strategy, the authority is looking to build somewhere in the region of 14,500 homes across the district by 2031.

The GLH proposals form a central part of the key planning document but have long been fought by campaign group FORSE, which previously argued the selection process used by the council to identify sites was flawed.




Earlier this year, they also accused the council of ‘moving the goalposts’ in a bid to ensure the homes at GLH were approved.

And after much debate – including all three ward members speaking out against the plans – they were given the green light with councillors following officers’ recommendations and voting by five to one in favour of the plans.


The only councillor not to back the proposals was Molly Giles, who said she needed more detailed information about a transport assessment.

The application, which will be known as Kingston Grange and involves the construction of a residential development of up to 2,000 homes – including extra care housing, a primary school, community hub, health centre, retail and other services – was agreed subject to final traffic works on the B4100 being brought back to committee for approval.

The council hope to build a total of 3,000 homes at the site.

Planning committee chairman, Coun Danny Kendall, maintained the committee had a very robust debate.

He added: “While approval has been given for the principle of this development to go forward, the more detailed plan and works must now begin in order to achieve a development that is sustainable in the future.

“This development forms a crucial element of the district council’s Core Strategy but has been approved on its own merits with all the evidence placed before the committee.”

A six week public consultation into modifications to the Core Strategy recently came to an end and the authority must now await a report from government inspector Pete Drew, who will decide whether it can be officially rubber-stamped.

The council is aiming to have the document formally adopted by the summer.

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