Community fears loss of college (From Stroud News and Journal)

Community fears loss of college

THE FUTURE of a key plot of land at the heart of a community hangs in the balance.

A Government inspector was yesterday, Tuesday, considering Stroud College's appeal to build homes on its Highwood Campus at Forest Green, Nailsworth.

Stroud District Council ruled out outline planning permission for a residential development on the site earlier this year, so the college appealed, arguing that it was legally obliged to consider all the alternative uses for the site.

If the inspector overturns SDC's decision, Nailsworth Town Council, local residents and Forest Green Action Group - A Fair Deal for Forest Green, will be outraged.

They fear neighbouring Forest Green Rovers Football Club would abandon expansion plans and leave Nailsworth, dealing a triple blow to the town with the loss of three valued community assets - the football club, its leisure facilities and a college presence in the town.

More than 1,400 people signed a petition against the original planning application and more than 800 wrote letters to Stroud MP David Drew.

The two sides met for the planning inquiry at Ebley Mill yesterday. "The college said it would have to sell the land to the highest bidder and this could only be achieved through housing development," claimed Gerald Mauler of Forest Green Action Group.

That, he said, would mean the football club would have to seriously consider any alternative site for a new ground, which would almost certainly be outside Nailsworth.