Leader's blog - w/c 23 June 2023

“Frustrating and disappointing news, that the new owner of our Brimscombe Port developer partner, St Modwen Homes, has withdrawn from the project. St Modwen held a public consultation in December on their proposals, which they described as ‘an unprecedented opportunity to reinvent and regenerate’ the area. Hundreds of local residents attended and were assured the next step would be the submission of St Modwen’s planning application. However, the company changed hands in January, and new owner Miller Homes has concluded the project does not fit with their risk profile. The council remains committed to this key project and will now explore next steps with Homes England and local stakeholders.

Following an investigation by the council’s Environmental Protection team, a property development company has been fined in court for burning waste at a Stroud industrial site. We urge all businesses to dispose of waste responsibly and legally. Bonfires are not an acceptable method, and enforcement action will be taken to protect the environment and public health. 

Have you explored the latest community-led projects on our successful crowdfunding platform, Stroud Funding? There are 16 projects to support this time, including a Stratford Park skatepark upgrade, a textile waste transformation project, a community growing initiative, a climbing wall in Brimscombe and a Summer Social for the Wotton-under-Edge community. Residents can pledge money or contribute their time, skills, or resources to help bring these ideas to fruition. Projects that contribute to the council’s priorities - such as community wellbeing, environmental sustainability and promotion of the local economy - are eligible for financial support from the council once they demonstrate strong community backing. More at https://www.spacehive.com/movement/stroud “

Cllr Chloe Turner, Leader of Stroud District Council