U-turn (From Stroud News and Journal)

U-turn

A CONTROVERSIAL Nailsworth issue looks like it has finally reached an amicable conclusion.

The land at the Highwood Campus in Forest Green, which has been a bone of contention between the town council and its owner Stroud College for more than a year, is to be divided into housing and community facilities.

The compromise has been reached after months of negotiation between interested parties the college, council, Nailsworth Primary School and Forest Green Rovers Football Club.

A partnership between the bodies was chaired by MP David Drew.

The scheme means that the football club is likely to stay at the top of the town. It recently announced it was thinking of moving to a bigger site.

Nailsworth mayor Cllr Lesley Williams-Allen said: " This really is great news for the town. "It is a major opportunity for Nailsworth."

Further details about the project will be given at a public meeting in Nailsworth Primary School Hall on Monday, December 16 at 6.30pm.

Everyone is welcome to come and take part in the process.

The news marks the end of a long-running battle that begun in December 2000 when the district council turned down the college's plans for housing on the site on the grounds that the Forest Green area already had plenty of housing and needed more community amenities.

But the college appealed against the decision, arguing it had a duty to attain the best price it could for the site and outline planning permission for housing would greatly increase the value of the land.

The appeal upheld the council's decision but it was challenged by the college in the High Court and the inspector's decision was struck down.

In November district planners finally gave way and granted the college outline planning permission to develop the site.

This latest round of negotiations and the spirit of compromise has resulted in an outcome which could see all parties happy.

For more Nailsworth stories, see this week's SNJ.