AN APPEAL has been lodged against Stroud District Council’s decision to refuse planning permission to build 20 homes in Laurie Lee’s Slad Valley.

The third application by Gladman Developments to build houses on Baxter’s Field, off Summer Street, attracted more than 1,500 objections online and was rejected by SDC in January.

It came after previous applications to build 142 homes and 112 homes in 2012 and 2014 in the area were also turned down.

The decision is now set to be made at a public inquiry.

“We have been here before,” said Mary Jarrett, of Summer Street, Stroud.

“They appealed against the last application, so this did not come as a surprise.

“This development is not necessary and not what is needed.”

Planners in January said the plans fell out of line with the newly adopted Stroud District Local Plan and would‘erode the local landscape character’ and spoil the idyllic beauty of the valley.

The plans for 20 homes, including at least six affordable, would include demolishing stables and building a new vehicular access point from Summer Street.

Jenny Bailey, who lives on Summer Street, said this would make traffic problems worse.

“We already have a lot of motorists who are cutting through Summer Street and it is causing a lot of problems at rush-hour time,” she said.

“This would make it even worse.”

A proposal has been put forward by the Save Slad Valley group to create a community fund to buy the fields and protect them from development.

The group is starting a register of people who are prepared to contribute something towards the fund.

Jenny Pitt warned that if the plans went ahead they would bring ‘devastation’ to the heritage of the area.

“The number of houses to be built has been reduced, but the landscape and wild life of the valley would still be desecrated,” she said.

“How many times do we have to fight for our right to live, work and encourage visitors to visit this precious, irreplaceable landscape?

“Once any permission is given to build here it can only be a precedent for further devastation to our heritage.”

Comments and objections made at the time of the original application will be taken into account by the planning inspector.

To withdraw or modify comments or submit further views go to the SDC website and search for the planning reference S.15/2549/OUT.

Find out more about the proposal to create a community fund for the fields at savesladvalley.org.

Gladman have yet to respond to the SNJ’s request for comment.