A DISAGREEMENT has opened up between Stroud District Council and Ecotricity over one of the key issues surrounding the plans for Eco Park.

Since the proposals for the £100 million development were unveiled in January 2016, one of the main concerns has been whether the Stroud district needed more land for jobs.

This complex planning issue is central to the green energy company’s application and Stroud’s Local Plan blueprint, and will be a big factor in councilor’s deliberations.

Eco Park is earmarked for land next to junction 13 of the M5 and would include a green technology business hub, sports complex and new stadium for Forest Green Rovers, which together take up 19 hectares of green fields.

Stroud District Council (SDC) says its overall planning blueprint up to 2031 identifies 40 hectares of land currently available for employment development.

Stroud District Council (SDC) says its overall planning blueprint up to 2031 identifies 50 hectares of land currently available for employment development.

Crucially though, it believes there is currently a surplus of 12 hectares against these requirements – meaning is sees no overwhelming need for more large job sites.

This is disputed by Ecotricity, whose own commissioned study puts this figure at a shortage of 14 hectares, which favours its argument for building Eco Park.

To matters even more complicated, a third study recently commissioned by SDC and carried out by independent company NLP, found a deficit of around 1.5 hectares – which was then disputed by the council.

This third figure lies relatively in the middle of the views held by the council and the Stroud district’s second biggest employer.

Major sticking points between the two centre around interpretation of figures and the status of two sites on the employment land list – Sharpness and Hunts Grove.

Stroud News and Journal:

Ecotricity founder Dale Vince said: “Neither site has moved forward, there are no planning applications and no proposals to develop either piece the land.

“In fact the Hunts Grove developers are saying if they ever do press forward with a planning application, it will be for retail business.

“These are not the types of skilled jobs that the Local Plan has allocated to this land and the type we are proposing at Eco Park.

“On that basis, it’s hard to see how Hunts Grove could be included on the list of available Employment Land, so the best case scenario is a seven hectare deficit.

“It remains our view that there is a 14 hectare shortfall and given Eco Park is able to provide almost 19 hectares, that could turn into a five hectares surplus.”

However, a spokesman from SDC said it will continue to work with the land owners at both sites to bring plans to the table in the next few years.

He added that as the Local Plan runs right up to 2031, there was no huge rush to develop the land immeditaely.

A council spokesman confirmed: “The council considers that there is currently a surplus of 12 hectares against requirements up to 2031.

“The review of the Local Plan over the next five years will identify future employment land requirements and allocate sufficient sites to meet those future needs.”

Mr Vince, added: “We will continue to engage with the Council and seek to persuade them that these two sites shouldn’t be included in an assessment of available employment land, because ultimately when they don’t come forward, it will mean a shortfall in jobs in the district.”

Eco Park will provide the district with 18.9 hectares of class B1, B2 and B8 employment land.

Councillors on SDC’s development control committee are due to make a decision on the planning application later this year.