Stroud Rugby Football Club (SRFC) wanted to build a commercially driven sport and entertainment complex between Eastington Church and the canal.   The scheme was backed by Sport Optima Limited which in turn is backed by property development companies.

Throughout 2007 and the first half of 2008 KER opposed these proposals and at the highest level of planning legislation won the day.  The scheme was thrown out by a Government Inspector. 

The whole development would have been huge - some 27 acres in size.  It was totally out of proportion to the nearby hamlets of Churchend and Newtown as well as the wider communities of Eastington Parish. (see photo below).  It would have brought development and commercial activity (EG a licensed entertainment centre open until 0200 hrs!) to a rural part of Stroud where such activities are not expected to be given planning permission.

The proposed development broke sections GE1, GE3, GE5, BE5, BE11, BE12, EM1, EM2, NE11, NE14, RL4, RL8 & TR1 of the "Stroud District Local Plan". It also broke key sections of national Government planning guideline PPG 17 and national road policy guidelines.

After four days of an appeal hearing, and two months of deliberation, the Inspector concluded that the scheme 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”.

Keep Eastington Rural's objections to the proposals can be seen via the tabs on the left.  These objections were raised within two weeks of the plans being unveiled in January 2007. 

The proposed location