Latest news with #CotswoldDistrictCouncil
BBC News
28-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Clarkson's Farm: Council refutes 'awkward' portrayal on show
A council has refuted Jeremy Clarkson's claims its representatives were "awkward" and "had nothing positive to say" about his plans to buy a country revealed he was considering purchasing the Coach and Horses Inn, in Bourton-on-the-Water, in an episode of his show Clarkson's attending a pre-planning application meeting, he criticised Cotswold District Council and said it seemed "worried" he would make the pub a council has told the BBC it "absolutely refutes" Clarkson's claims, adding it had "several positive meetings" about the proposals and later received a thank you email from his planning agent. The Grade II-listed Coach and Horses Inn, which remains closed, dates back to the 18th Century and sits opposite Clarkson's Hawkstone Brewery on the A429 Stow former Top Gear presenter also owns Diddly Squat Farm in the Oxfordshire Cotswolds - the subject of his Prime Video series - and has previously been involved in planning rows with West Oxfordshire District Council. Prior to Clarkson's meeting with Cotswold District Council, he had a meeting at Shire Hall with Gloucestershire County Council, who said it was "pro-business and pro-tourism" and appeared generally supportive of his Clarkson was then filmed discussing the outcome of his meeting with the district council in a Cirencester café."We had a man from Bourton council and he just didn't have a single positive thing to say," Clarkson said."People are going to come... I know they are, that's the point of a pub."Bourton Parish Council told the BBC it was not represented at the meeting."Jeremy's references to who was involved are a bit vague and unclear," it said the pub had "failed" after being owned by eight different people over 12 years, but claimed the district council was "worried" his ownership would "bring a lot of people" to the area. A spokesperson for Cotswold District Council said: "We absolutely refute that any of the officers or councillors involved in working with Jeremy to realise his vision for the Coach and Horses had 'absolutely nothing positive to say' or were awkward."They added: "There were in fact several positive meetings between Jeremy and his team, and willing officers and councillors at Cotswold District Council. "These discussions explored how challenges to renovating this pub could be overcome, as part of the pre-application stage of this project. A planning application was never submitted."Upon deciding not to pursue purchase of the pub, Jeremy sent an email via his planning agent thanking the council for being 'so open and supportive', and for trying to find solutions to some of the hurdles needed to overcome renovation of the pub. He stated that 'the march of time and the feasibility of getting this done within a window that works for television' had been the project's undoing."
BBC News
25-05-2025
- BBC News
'Nightmare permits pricier than London – and we can still never park'
Locals in a picturesque Cotswold town have called for action over "nightmare" parking – with permits costing double that of London's wealthiest boroughs. Residents of Tetbury's ancient narrow streets, who have no option to park outside their homes, pay more than £600 a year for a parking permit. But, despite paying this sum, they do not have allocated spaces and say they are often unable to find a place to park near their Paul Hodgkinson from Cotswold District Council said opportunities to expand off-street parking in the town were "unfortunately limited". Everyone we spoke to holds a season ticket to park in Tetbury's West Street car park, which costs £640 a year. This compares to £257 a year for vehicles in the highest emission band in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, and £321 in Westminster. Susan Pillinger, who lives on a road in Tetbury with five cottages – and no space for cars – described parking as an "absolute nightmare". She said: "It's a constant worry because, if you go out, are you going to find anywhere to park when you come back?" David Pearson told BBC Radio Gloucestershire that he was well aware of the limited parking before moving to the area, but said "we didn't expect a 30% rise in the cost of a permit and also an increase in tourists"."Frankly in London you can get it for a third of the price and they have the same problems [with] narrow streets," he said. Ms Pillinger said she "wouldn't mind paying the money so much if we had an actual designated space".They have all called on the council to ensure that spaces in car parks near their homes are held for residents. 'Not feasible' The council's Mr Hodgkinson said half of the bays in West Street car park were allocated to season ticket holders. However, visitors are still able to use these spaces. The council does provide free parking at the Old Railyard car park in the resident Derek Mills said this was situated about 15 minutes from his home, meaning it was "not feasible" for people with limited mobility. "My wife is disabled, so there is absolutely no way I could park there and expect her to walk back," he added. Mr Hodgkinson said the council "remain committed to ongoing dialogue" with locals and businesses.
BBC News
28-04-2025
- BBC News
Bibury resident's foot run over as tourists flock to village
Residents of "England's prettiest village" had to endure "overtourism traffic chaos" over Easter it has been claimed, with a local man's foot run over in a parking popularity of Bibury in Gloucestershire has created an almost constant problem for residents who have to put up with parking chaos caused by the influx of village, home to only a few hundred people, is known for the picturesque Arlington Mark Honeyball said his foot was run over while Bibury Parish Council chairman Craig Chapman said the traffic was "one long queue" over Easter. Bibury was described by 19th Century writer William Morris as "the most beautiful village in England".And it is believed to be popular with Japanese tourists as Emperor Hirohito stayed there during the first half of the 20th Century when he was prince. However, while social media posts often portray the location as a tranquil village in the English countryside, the day-to-day reality includes regular traffic jams and illegal in the village is recognised by the local authorities and Cotswold District Council and Gloucestershire County Council actively avoid promoting it as a tourist destination. 'Very dangerous' Mr Honeyball said the situation has "got beyond a joke" as a driver who was parked on the pavement "ran over his foot"."People can't get through as well as emergency services," he told the Local Democracy Reporting Service."I had to call the police on the day and they couldn't get to me as a Range Rover had very nicely run over my foot in a dispute over where they shouldn't be parking and did a quite bit of damage. It's not broken, just badly bruised."He drove on the pavement. I had another one on Monday who I was asking to move off my drive and he just put his car into gear and drove along the pavement at me."Despite the village having two coach bays next to a bridge over the River Coln, up to six coaches arrive on any given say that if the existing bays are full then the coaches will unload at the nearest space that is big enough - raising safety concerns around the narrow pavements being village's roads are also often not wide enough for two coaches to pass each other. A working group has recommended stopping coaches from using parking bays and waiting on the this move is a short-term measure and further restrictions could be rolled out after a consultation taking place this Parish Council chairman Craig Chapman was among those to witness the traffic problems over Easter."I was out on Sunday and Monday with other people in the community trying to move the traffic along the B4425," he said."The traffic coming from Barnsley through Arlington into Bibury was one long queue."North Cotswold MP Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown sympathised with residents and says action is needed."Clearly this is what the residents of Bibury want. The trouble is coaches are getting larger and larger," the Conservative said.
BBC News
25-02-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Cotswold District Council leader stands down to 'shift focus'
A council leader is stepping down after six years in the role to "shift focus" onto his other roles in local Harris said it had been the "honour of his life" to lead Cotswold District Council in will leave the position in spring but will remain as a district councillor in Cirencester and is seeking re-election to Gloucestershire County Liberal Democrat Group will now begin a process to elect a new group leader at the council's annual meeting on 21 May. Mr Harris was first elected to the authority at the age of 18 in led two successful election campaigns, taking the Liberal Democrat Group from opposition to majority control, becoming council leader in Harris said: "It has been the honour of my life to serve as Leader of Cotswold District Council and to lead the area in which I was raised."He cited the green economic growth strategy, the delivery of "hundreds" of affordable homes and a restructuring programme to bring council staff back in-house as among the council's significant milestones during his tenure. 'Brilliant communities' He also named the council's award-winning Crowdfund Cotswolds scheme to support local projects and good causes, as well as the council tax support scheme, as key achievements."I feel proud to have played a small part in delivering more affordable housing and supporting people with the cost of living, particularly when they needed it the most," he said."I am proud of our brilliant communities, and, of course, our dedicated council staff, whose efforts have been so important in overcoming many hurdles."Mr Harris said he will now focus on his other roles, mainly as vice chair and leader of the Liberal Democrat Group at the Local Government Association (LGA) - an organisation which represents councils across England and Wales. He said he wanted to ensure the Government's plans to replace district and county councils with large unitary authorities "is done properly and with local communities in mind".
Yahoo
17-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Estate from the 1960s demolished for 80 new homes
A housing estate, built in the 1960s, is being demolished to make way for more than 80 new homes. The 60-year-old estate in South Cerney, near Cirencester, is being flattened to make way for the Berkeley Close scheme, which was given the green light by Cotswold District Council (CDC) in August. The work marks the first of two stages of demolition, with 38 properties to be knocked down in phase one. Juliet Layton, CDC's cabinet member for housing and planning, said: "The new dwellings will be comfortable, warm, energy efficient homes." Developers Bromford said the homes being demolished were built using non-traditional methods in the 1960s in a bid to bolster the post-war housing supply. It said the homes had deteriorated over time. The new homes will be a mix of bungalows, flats and houses. More than 60 of the homes will be available for rent, while 19 will be available to part-buy, part-rent through shared ownership. Bromford project manager Millie Nicholls said: "The former properties were no longer of the quality that either us or our customers expect us to provide. "It's nearly four years since we started talking to our customers living in the existing properties about our plans to regenerate the street, but it's great to see work under way now." She added that by increasing the number of rental properties available, "local people priced out of the private housing market will be able to continue living in the village". The first new homes available as part of the project are due to be completed in September 2026, with the development finished by autumn 2027. Follow BBC Gloucestershire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. Housing estate to be torn down for 82 new homes Housing estate could be torn down for 82 new homes Cotswold District Council
