Land At Bath Road Leonard Stanley Gloucestershire

1. 1.The application site occupies a sensitive and visually prominent position on the rural edge of Leonard Stanley and makes a positive contribution to the village's rural setting and landscape character. Notwithstanding that matters of appearance, layout, scale and landscaping are reserved, the submitted indicative block plan clearly demonstrates a form and quantum of development that would constitute overdevelopment of this sensitive edge of village site. The proposed level of development would fail to respond appropriately to the site's landscape context and would result in unacceptable harm to the character and appearance of the area. Accordingly, the proposal is contrary to Policies CP14 (5,9), HC1, ES7 and ES12 of the Stroud District Local Plan (2015), which seek to safeguard landscape character, respect local distinctiveness, and ensure that development is well designed and responds positively to its setting.
2. 2.As submitted, the proposed layout fails to demonstrate that an adequate buffer could be provided between the retained bat foraging and commuting corridors and the proposed buildings. In the absence of sufficient separation, the proposal would give rise to an unacceptable risk of disturbance to protected bat species and harm to their movement corridors, and it has not been demonstrated that such harm could be avoided or mitigated. The proposal is therefore contrary to Policy ES6 of the Stroud District Local Plan (2015) and the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 (as amended).
3. 3.The proposed development is located in 12.6km of the Severn Estuary SAC/SPA/Ramsar. The planning application is not supported by sufficient information that demonstrates that the impact of the proposed development upon the protected site can be adequately mitigated. The proposed development is therefore contrary to Policy ES6 of the Stroud District Local Plan (adopted) 2015.
4. 4.Development within the core catchment zone of the Cotswold Beechwoods Special Area of Conservation will have a significant likely impact on the protected site. In the absence of either a bespoke mitigation scheme or a financial contribution to the council's mitigation scheme, the development fails to mitigate its impact on the Cotswold Beechwoods Special Area of Conservation. The development is therefore contrary to the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 and policy ES6 of the adopted Stroud District Local Plan (November 2015).

From the council's decision notice.

Application type

Outline Planning Application

Scale / size

Medium

Parish

Leonard Stanley Parish Council

Date validated

8 December 2025

Consultation expiry

2 April 2026

Consultation end

2 April 2026

Target decision date

26 April 2026

Agent address

Rackham Planning Ltd 2430/2440 The Quadrant Aztec West Bristol BS32 4AQ

Statutory period

139 days

Documents

5