Public Consultation

April 2021

Proposed Employment Development & Housing
Land at Newent Road, Highnam

Intro & Proposal

This Public Consultation has been prepared by M7 Planning Limited, who are preparing a planning application which will enable a step change in employment opportunities in Highnam, supported by new high-quality housing. 

Why are we submitting a planning application now? 

The Tewkesbury Borough area has a significant shortfall in housing delivery when measured against the Local Plan targets.  As members of the housing development community we see the consequences of this with rising, unsatisfied demand and a growing disparity between house prices and affordability.  Our proposal provides an appropriate response to this for the scale, location and facilities available in Highnam, with the aim of providing new employment and housing opportunities in the community you love for you, your children or grandchildren and new residents, strengthening diversity and vitality.

This website provides an opportunity for residents, businesses and organisations to learn about our draft proposals and our intentions to submit an outline planning application to Tewkesbury Borough Council soon.

At the bottom of this website page you will find a short questionnaire.  Please leave us your thoughts, which will be considered prior to us making the application.

M7 Planning

Who is M7 Planning?

M7 Planning is an expert advisor and professional investor in land and property.  Achieving planning permission is at the heart of what we do; we carefully manage each aspect of the process providing a tailored approach for each site we take on.  We are passionate about design, placemaking and delivering much needed housing in sustainable locations.

The Site

The site is sustainably located on the western edge of the village of Highnam, approximately 3 miles north west of the City of Gloucester on the A40. The study area measures approximately 7.51 hectares (18.6 acres) of agricultural land under private ownership and comprises of two parcels of land in two parts north and south of Newent Road (B4215).

Land at Newent Road is a significant opportunity, within an exceptional location, for a sustainable new housing scheme. 

A number of complimentary factors demonstrate why housing should be permitted here:

  • A commitment from M7 Planning to include within the application a significant expansion of the Highnam Business Centre to accommodate future business needs.
  • The residential development will deliver 40% affordable housing.
  • M7 Planning is committed to working in coordination with Tewkesbury Borough Council to eliminate complications and delays bringing the land forward for development.
  • The physically unconstrained nature of the land and its lack of environmental designations allows development to come forward within a short timeframe.
  • Through careful design, visual impact can be managed avoiding significant adverse impact.
  • An established existing transport network serving the immediate and wider area including a regular bus service from Newent Road within a short distance of the site to Gloucester Railway Station.
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The Vision

With the help of our consultant team, we are formulating our proposals to deliver a high-quality housing scheme including an extension to the Highnam Business Park. We want to create a high quality, sustainable new living environment, based around a fully integrated new community with new homes and local employment that support the local economy and is accessible to everyone.

Throughout the design process each member of the team provides their specialist advice and input to ensure that the scheme responds positively to its surroundings, considering the constraints.  The Vision is:

  • Delivery of up to 95 new homes with 40% being affordable.
  • A mixture of housing types and tenures including 1, 2, 3 and 4 bedroom homes 
  • An extension to the Highnam Business Park comprising of up to 3ha of commercial use (E) development.
  • Accessible, sustainable established residential location.
  • Legacy through carefully designed spaces, beautiful homes, gardens and open spaces.
  • Sustainable living with solar power generation and electric charging points.
  • Unconstrained land outside of high level flood risk area.
  • Compliments the viability and vitality of Highnam.
  • Deliverable within a short time frame.

Access, Movement & Amenities

The site is sustainably located, abutting the village of Highnam which is situated approximately 3 miles north west of the City of Gloucester on the A40.
The proposed new homes and business park extension will have easy access to local services and facilities, public transport links and to the Public Right of Way (PRoW) network. Residents of Highnam village working at the business park will benefit from walking to work, as an uncontrolled crossing point is proposed between the two sites to enhance crossing Newent Road.

Bus stops located on Newent Road, within approximately 30 metres of the proposed site entrance, which provides connections from Highnam to Gloucester, Newent, Ledbury and Ross-on-Wye. The bus services also links to the train station in Gloucester which provides regular services to a range of destinations including Cheltenham, Bristol Temple Meads, Cardiff, Birmingham New Street and London Paddington.

A Transport Assessment and Travel Plan will be required to support the planning application for the site. 

1. The proposed vehicular and pedestrian access for the northern residential area will be from Newent Road (B4215). To the south, the business park extension will be accessed via the existing Two Mile Lane. 
2. A street pattern has been identified to provide good connectivity and efficient residential blocks.
3. Footpath/cycleways around the development to connect the public open space and residential parcels.
4. Potential pedestrian link to the Lassington Reach development.
5. The existing public right of way crossing the southern site shall be incorporated into the scheme. 

Pedestrian & vehicular links across the site.

Community Benefits

  • The development will positively contribute to the growth of the local economy by delivering new homes and employment opportunities.
  • 40% affordable housing to meet Tewkesbury Borough Council requirements.
  • Walking connections to the local street network and improving the accessibility of existing public rights of way
  • New green infrastructure and public open space will provide amenity, with play facilities.
  • Retained hedgerows and trees creating a network of habitats corridors around walking/cycling routes.
  • A secured boundary of the site on the southern and western edges of the land to the north, with development fronting the open space.
  • Transitional open space with proposed clustered tree planting, hedgerow strengthening and species rich meadow grasslands.
  • Sustainable drainage attenuation features designed to create wetland habitats.
  • Section 106 contributions towards local improvements to services.
  • Community Infrastructure Levy payments.

Planning Application & Project Status

We are currently at the stage of preparing an Outline Planning Application to submit to Tewkesbury Borough Council.  An “Outline Planning Application” will seek to establish whether the access and principle of the proposed development is acceptable to the local planning authority, before a fully detailed proposal is put forward as part of future “Reserved Matters Application”.

Prior to submitting the application, we wish to engage with the community to understand local views and considerations that will positively assist in the formulation of our plans. Whether you are in favour of, or opposed to new housing on this site, please tell us why.

A summary of the feedback received through this consultation will be provided in a Statement of Community Involvement, which will form part of our planning application to Tewkesbury Borough Council.

Have your say

Our consultation period is now closed. We thank you for your time in visiting this presentation