Badgers delay plans for five new homes

CONTROVERSIAL plans to build five homes in a Gloucestershire field have been thwarted for now by the presence of badgers.

Tewkesbury Borough Council was set to consider applicant Santon Property Ltd’s proposals on Tuesday to develop land next to Greenacres in Twyning.

The proposals are opposed by Twyning Parish Council, which says the village has more than fulfilled its housing quota.

Twenty-one people have also objected to the scheme and have raised concerns over risks of flooding; a planned pond, which they say could be dangerous for children; and traffic “chaos” caused in the village.

But a council officer told the planning committee that a new badger sett had been discovered on the site.

He said: “There are signs of a new badger sett, so at present the applicant is instructing an ecologist to investigate that and report back. The deferral will allow us to have further consideration of those two aspects.”

Cllr Gill Blackwell (C, Churchdown Brookfield with Hucclecote) proposed deferral and this was seconded by Cllr Paul Ockelton (LD, Innsworth). The committee voted unanimously in favour of deferment.