7th November 2005

Last chance to reject Urban Area – Council Meeting November 10th

Massive number of objections to the ‘Stroud Urban Area’ designation in Local Plan ‘blamed’ on Stroud News and Journal article.

The committee papers for the crucial Stroud District Council meeting to approve the Stroud Local District Plan specifically mentions the Stroud News and Journal article from June 29th for generating an ‘emotive’ response by summarising the issue as “last minute changes that could see several towns and villages in the Five Valleys stripped of their rural status”.  

The redesignation of Nailsworth (pictured above), Stonehouse, North and South Woodchester, Thrupp and Brimscombe as part of the ‘Stroud Urban Area’ generated more objections than any other issue in the local plan consultation.

Green Party District Councillor Martin Whiteside said: "Instead of listening to people’s concerns the Council officers have chosen to label them as ‘emotive’ and to criticise the SNJ for bringing this important issue to people’s attention. This is insulting to the intelligence of the many people who have raised their voices. Thank goodness that the SNJ raised this issue’. 

 
At the Council meeting on the 10th November Martin Whiteside will be congratulating the SNJ for their excellent reporting and asking the Council to respond to popular demand by throwing out this change which strips many of our beautiful communities of their rural status.  

Martin Whiteside added: "If people are concerned about this issue they should come to the meeting on Thursday, hear the debate and see how their own Councillors vote."