New topic papers and evidence studies have now been published to the Strategic and Local Plan (SLP) engagement platform. These will help shape how Cheltenham Borough, Gloucester City, and Tewkesbury Borough will grow over the next 20 years, and everyone's views are needed. 

 

https://strategiclocalplan.govocal.com  

 

There are two practical things residents can do to influence the planning team that is preparing the Strategic Local Plan. 

The process of formally responding to the public consultation exercise about the potential new developments around Churchdown is quite daunting. We explain how to do this in detail on page 3. You can also lobby key local politicians and influencers – this is generally more straight forward, so we have started with this. 

 

1. Express your views to key people who may be able to influence the planners 

 

There are several key people who might be able to persuade the planners to think again. Please email and/or send them a letter; or (if they are a politician) consider attending one of their surgeries (if they hold them) to express your views face to face. 

 

We have listed below the contact details of the people we think you might want to lobby. 

When you contact them stress the following points (but don’t copy and paste the text verbatim). It’s MUCH more effective if they get a personal response from you. 

• This is a priceless part of Gloucestershire’s Green Belt, criss-crossed with numerous public rights of way and full of wildlife and biodiversity. It is widely used and enjoyed by local residents. It is one of the last significant sections of open countryside between Gloucester and Cheltenham. Rather than building on it we think the land should be designated as a Nature Recover Area to improve the habitat for the local wildlife and to ensure local people always have access to it. 

• If these sites are developed the additional people that move in will have a huge impact on already stretched services – like schools, GP surgeries and the road infrastructure 

• Schemes on this scale will involve concreting over large areas, so when it rains there will be more water gushing into local watercourses – these already regularly flood. 

 

Also add your own personal connection – for example where you live and how long you’ve known the area, mention the wildlife you’ve witnessed, the traffic congestion, flooding or anything else that will make your response more compelling. 

 

What you shouldn’t say 

 

Avoid referring to non-planning matters as these won’t cut much ice with the planning team. For example, don’t: 

• Criticise the council’s motives 

• Attack specific developers or landowners 

• Use ‘moral’ arguments. 

• Complain about a potential reduction in property values, or loss of view 

 

People you could contact or lobby: 

 

The local MP - Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown. He has visited Chosen Hill recently when he stated that further development should not happen in the area. 

 

The Leaders and Chairs of the Planning Committees at Tewkesbury, Gloucester and Cheltenham Councils, and local borough councillors that represent this area. 

Council Leaders 

Richard Stanley (Tewkesbury) – Councillor.Stanley@tewkesbury.gov.uk 

Rowena Hay (Cheltenham) 

Jermey Hilton (Gloucester) 

 

Chairs of the planning committees 

George Porter (Tewkesbury) 

Gareth Barnes (Cheltenham) 

Angela Conder (Gloucester) 

 

District or City councillors for the area 

Paul Smith (Tewkesbury Borough) 

Richard Smith (Tewkesbury Borough) 

Ian Yates (Tewkesbury Borough) 

Stuart Dove (Tewkesbury Borough and Glos. County Councillor) 

Mary Jordan (Tewkesbury Borough) 

Liz Skelt (Tewkesbury Borough) 

Alwin Wiederhold (Glos City, Hucclecote Ward) 

Declan Wilson (Glos City, Hucclecote Ward) 

 

Alistair Cunningham, the chief executive of Tewkesbury Borough Council and the council employee in overall charge of the delivery of the new Local Plan. 

Alistair.Cunningham@tewkesbury.gov.uk 

 

Adam Gooch – he’s the Senior Planning Officer that heads up the technical team that’s preparing the Plan. 

Adam.Gooch@gloucester.gov.uk 

+44 1452 396836 

Herbert Warehouse, The Docks, Gloucester, GL1 2EQ 

 

We suggest that if you are writing to any of the politicians listed above, copy your letter to Mr Cunningham and Mr Gooch, so they appreciate to strength of feeling among local residents. 

 

2. Submit comments about the Spatial Plan Options report and the three sites for development that have been identified near Churchdown in the HELAA study. 

 

You can comment on the two key reports that are currently part of a public consultation exercise. One is called the ‘Spatial Options Topic Paper;’ the other is ‘Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment’ (or HELAA). 

 

The deadline for the public consultation is 16 January 2026. 

 

How to comment on the ‘Spatial Options’ report. 

 

This link should take you to it: 

 

https://strategiclocalplan.govocal.com/en-GB/projects/spatial-options-topic-paper 

 

Once you have read the report, click on the box at the bottom of the page labelled ‘Share your thoughts’. Then tick the ‘Tewkesbury’ tag and make your views known in the comments box below. 

 

The main purpose of the report is to find out what people think about the four broadbrush ways in which the new housing and employment land might be accommodated across the Tewkesbury, Gloucester and Cheltenham council areas. 

 

One of the ways (Option 3) advocates no development in the current Green Belt, so you may want support that. You can, of course, express your views about the other three options. 

 

Key points to stress: 

• This is a priceless part of Gloucestershire’s Green Belt, criss-crossed with numerous public rights of way and full of wildlife and biodiversity. It is widely used and enjoyed by local residents. It is one of the last significant sections of open countryside between Gloucester and Cheltenham. Rather than building on it we think the land should be designated as a Nature Recover Area to improve the habitat for the local wildlife and to ensure local people always have access to it. 

• If these sites are developed the additional people that move in will have a huge impact on already stretched services – like schools, GP surgeries and the road infrastructure 

• Schemes on this scale will involve concreting over large areas, so when it rains there will be more water gushing into local watercourses – these already flood quite regularly. 

 

If you have more detailed comments you can insert these alongside the text in the report itself. 

 

To do this you have to register first by providing your email and creating a Password. Then you can add ‘comments’ anywhere in the document. 

 

The box that pops up asks you to classify your comment as either a suggestion, a question or a comment...so if you have a question for the planning team click the relevant heading. 

 

How to comment on the sites identified in the HELAA report 

 

The HELAA report is in two bits – a document about the methodology used to assess the suitability (or not) of potential new sites for homes and employment land, and an online map that identifies the various sites. 

 

The map is the most important element, and you can find it here 

 

There’s a front page of text that explains the various ‘layers’ on the map, and how to search the map. Once you’ve read this click the ‘OK' box bottom right and the map appears. Then use the zoom (+) to enlarge the map until you find the sites near here. 

 

The sites around Churchdown that are coloured a yellowish/brown are the ones to focus on as these are areas of land defined as ‘potentially achievable’. 

 

When can click on any of the sites a box opens up with more information about each area; its size, the number of homes it could accommodate and sometimes additional text that highlights the pros and cons of the site. 

 

Once you’ve studied this information you can make your views known my heading to this page: 

 

https://strategiclocalplan.govocal.com/en-GB/projects/housing-and-economic-land-availability-assessment-helaa 

 

In the greenish band at the bottom there’s a box labelled ‘Share your thoughts’. Click on this, tick the ‘Tewkesbury Borough’ box and then identify the site (with its reference number) in the first box, and then comment on it in the box below. 

 

You can comment on all three sites by repeating this process.