THERE ARE concerns a consultation into Stroud’s “flawed” draft development blueprint was “launched quietly” amid major concerns over the capacity of junctions on the M5.

Inspectors raised serious concerns last year over the viability of Stroud District Council’s local plan due to the need to upgrade junctions 12 and 14 to accommodate the expected growth.

The document sets out future strategic development and details the levels and types of growth planned for the area until 2040.

It will also detail where just over 12,000 homes will be built.

But inspectors highlighted issues with the provision of the pedestrian and cycle bridge over the motorway for the Wisloe development.

And at the time called into question the sustainable transport proposed for the planned new garden village at Sharpness.

Opposition councillors have criticised the decision to consult on further work they have done on the plan without prior notification to councillors or the public.

The Stroud District Council local plan examination in public process was suspended earlier this year.

The unplanned curtailment was due to a range of significant challenges, particularly relating to the strategic road network and site viability.

Conservative group leader Councillor Lindsey Green (C, Berkeley Vale) said: “Inspectors suggested that the council should consider withdrawing the plan due to the scale of the identified issues. However, against this advice, the council chose to continue and commenced a consultation on the further work they have completed on Monday, September 8.

“This consultation will run for the minimum six weeks required and only people who responded to regulation 19 will be permitted to respond.

“This consultation opened with no prior notification to councillors or the public, many of whom only received contact after the consultation had gone live.

“It is hugely disappointing that this consultation on a critical plan for our residents was introduced without prior notification.

“As a councillor, I was informed late on September 8 but I am aware from contact with residents that others did not receive emails until a day or two later.

“The Stroud District Council statement of community Involvement states that they will inform, engage and consult but, with the way this has been quietly commenced without fanfare, some may form the opinion that the preference would be for the consultation to go by relatively unnoticed.

“At the time of writing, whilst there are numerous other stories being promoted by Stroud District Council on social media, the local plan consultation is conspicuous by its absence.

“This is the largest individual piece of work by Stroud District Council. It matters to councillors and the residents they represent.

“It seems reasonable to expect effective, honest consultation and, once again, the council have failed in this duty”.

A Stroud District Council spokesperson said planning inspectors agreed a ten month ‘pause’ in the examination of the Stroud District draft Local Plan, to allow the council and its partners to address specific concerns they identified in Summer 2023.

“The resulting work is now out for a 6 weeks targeted consultation, which started on Monday September 9 and closes 5pm on October 23.

“The consultation was reported to the council’s Strategic Planning Advisory Board on September 5, 2024 – a cross party working group of councillors – and at Environment Committee on Thursday, September 19. Group council party leaders were also briefed in advance.”

The council says the consultation covers and addresses:

The Strategic Road Network (SRN), specifically the design and costings for improvements to M5 Junctions 12 and 14;

Rail connection deliverability and viability at the Sharpness new settlement; and.

Deliverability and viability of a bridge connecting the Wisloe new settlement.

The inspectors instructed the council that only consultees who responded to the previous regulation 19 consultation (Summer 2021) can respond. As this is a focused engagement on technical evidence, only those eligible to respond have been notified.

The consultation focuses exclusively on the above matters and comments made on other local plan matters will not be considered.

The consultation will run for six weeks and two days

Once the consultation is complete, comments and supporting evidence will be sent directly to the Inspectors by the December 5, 2024.

This date will be the official commencement of the Examination in Public

The council anticipates the inspectors will resume the hearing sessions in Spring 2025, which will examine these issues and any remaining topics not yet discussed.

The council awaits a revised examination timetable (including dates of the public hearings) from the Local Plan Inspectors, which is expected in the new year.

Further details can be found on the council’s Local Plan Review webpage www.stroud.gov.uk/localplanreview