Grand designs for Cashes Green Hospital site submitted (From Stroud News and Journal)

Grand designs for Cashes Green Hospital site submitted

8:30am Wednesday 4th May 2011 in News By Crispin Northey, Reporter for Nailsworth, Minchinhampton and Painswick

GRAND designs have been submitted for the Cashes Green Hospital site which incorporate some of the old buildings, a tree-lined spine and measures to protect bats, slow worms and badgers.

Developers Hab Oakus submitted plans to Stroud District Council this week which include proposals for 78 homes - 20 affordable homes for rent, 19 affordable homes for shared ownership and 39 properties for sale on the open market.

There are also plans for a new building for allotment keepers and so called ‘edible landscaping’ – planting trees, vines and other plants which produce fruit.

If the proposals are approved, the freehold of the affordable housing would be owned and managed by the Cashes Green Community Land Trust. Residents from the area would be eligible to join and have a say in how it operates.

The ground-breaking project is being led by Kevin McCloud, presenter of Channel Four’s Grand Designs, and follows months of consultation.

"Working up the planning application for Cashes Green has been challenging and enjoyable," said Kevin.

"The consultations we held revealed a great deal about the site – how people remembered the old hospital and how they valued the orchard trees and former allotments.

"Those views altered what we did and so the plans we are submitting keep the old three-storey building on the site and the lodge.

"We will also be reusing materials we are salvaging from existing buildings and leaving some of the structures standing as memorable archaeology.

"We have already conducted a survey of fruiting trees and are creating a haven for slow worms on the site now.

"The most exciting news is that we are going to be able to bring the allotments back into use soon - many months before we even begin work on the adjacent hospital site - using a temporary separate entrance."

A decision on the application is expected in the summer. The application reference number is S.11/0798/FUL .