EASTINGTON PARK STADIUM - KER's MAIN OBJECTIONS 

Keep Eastington Rural opposed the plan within weeks of its unveiling.  KER knew that it broke key sections of local and planning law; in particular those sections of the local plan dealing with the conservation area and the setting of a listed building.  KER also knew that in terms of national planning policy the site was "unsustainable" in that the only way to get to the planned development was by car.

Conservaton area
The area that SRFC wanted to develop is wholly within the Industrial Heritage Conservation Area (see map below). The  proposals made no allowance for this and broke Stroud District Local Plan policy BE5. This clearly states that;

Development within, or affecting the setting of a Conservation Area, will only be permitted if all the following criteria are met:

(i) The siting of the development respects existing open spaces, patterns of building layout, trees, and boundary treatment and does not harm any positive contribution made to the character or appearance of the Conservation Area by any of these (ii) The scale, design, proportions, detailing and materials used in the proposed development are sympathetic to the characteristic form in the area, and compatible with adjacent buildings and spaces (iii) It does not cause the loss of features of historic or characteristic value; (iv) Important views within, into and out of the area are protected.

In his report the Inspector stated that the proposal would "significantly damage the essential quality of a distinctive feature of the conservation area and the special interest of the listed house in its setting”.

Conservation area outlined in pink - the proposed site in orange

Listed building
The proposed development was next to the listed Eastington Park House .. and right IN the historic "Leaze Park" which was an integral part of the house's design.

Stroud District Local Plan Policy B11 (Listed Buildings) says that "A proposal for development that affects the setting of a listed building will only be permitted where it preserves the setting of the affected listed building".

The Inspector ruled that "the proposal would seriously undermine the essentially rural quality of this important open space and the contribution it makes to the distinctive character and appearance of the Stroud Industrial Heritage Conservation Area and to the character and setting of Eastington Park house"

Sustainability
The site is serviced only by an hourly bus service that doesn't operate in the evenings or on Sundays / Bank Holidays.  At nearly 4.5 miles out of town it is a site that you would only go to by car.

There is a simple proof to this .. just count the number of people from Eastington walking or cycling to Stroud on any weekend!

The Inspector said "I therefore find on this issue that there is no clear evidence to show that the site is in the best location available or that it would have a good level of accessibility by a realistically wide choice of transport modes"

He said that he "shared the concern of local residents that on busy match days restricted on-site parking could result in extensive off-site parking on the residential roads to the east and west of the site" (Church end, Spring Hill and Newtown!)