STROUD politicians say a 20-year plan for development in the south west 'fails disastrously' to tackle climate change.

Members of Stroud District Council say the South West Regional Assembly's draft regional spatial strategy, which sets out development for the south west over the next 20 years, will increase global warming.

The strategy requires businesses to reduce their C02 emissions but includes plans to expand Bristol Airport, which councillors say would more than wipe out the gains made locally.

They have drafted a response to the strategy, which will be considered at a meeting at Ebley Mill at 7pm on Thursday.

The response supports many of the proposals but raises environmental concerns.

Cllr Philip Booth, (Green, Over Stroud) described the plan as 'irresponsible'.

"This is probably the most important and influential planning document in the south west as it sets out development in the region until 2026," he said.

"Yet what we have is a plan to increase climate changing Co2 emissions when what we need is to cut emissions significantly."

And Cllr Barbara Tait (Cons, Painswick), the council's cabinet member for planning, agreed.

"We have already expressed our concerns that airport expansions would wipe out environmental gains made by this council and the people of the Stroud district," she said.

"It is also inequitable to require local businesses to reduce their CO2 emissions only to see rises resulting from aviation."

A spokesperson for the South West Regional Assembly said: "There remains some disagreement about the impact of air travel on carbon emissions with the aviation industry taking action to reduce CO2 emissions.

"Of course, any shift regarding climate change also requires a significant change in peoples' behaviour, and currently air travel is expanding due to high demand."