Approximately 60 people attended a public meeting at Upper Rissington chaired by Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, Member of Parliament for The Cotswolds, with a panel consisting of County Cllr Nigel Moor representing Gloucestershire County Council and District Cllr Mark MacKenzie-Charrington representing Cotswold District Council.

The MP called the meeting because despite previous public meetings, the problems with Bovis Homes and Linden Homes – the two developers – failing to complete the development at Upper Rissington is causing huge frustration amongst the residents living at Victory Fields where the development is taking place. Mr Clifton-Brown had repeatedly urged Bovis and Linden Homes to send representatives to the meeting however, both declined.

The Cotswolds’ MP was able to announce at the meeting that Gloucestershire County Council and Cotswold District Council had agreed in principle to resource officers from both councils to form a liaison board to discuss with the developers how they are going to resolve the significant number of issues in order to complete the development in a relatively tight time schedule.

These issues include resolving to the satisfaction of residents that there is no residual risk from asbestos that has previously been dumped on the site. Road safety, particularly around the school which could be achieved by traffic calming, all of which needs to be finalised before the roads are adopted. Adequacy and correct positioning of street lights. Resolving who is to take over sub drainage systems (SUDS) and open spaces. Pedestrian crossings and footpaths, including the crossing over Longmore Walk. Handicapped access to the shops, lighting of roundabouts, installation of water butts, water pressure for the entire village and concerns over sewerage. In addition to all of this, there will be two large retrospective planning applications relating to the public open spaces and design of the entire estate.

Commenting after meeting, the MP said:

‘I have never seen a substantial residential development such as this with so many outstanding issues. I blame the developers for very poor site supervision, including their use of sub-contractors. If Bovis and Linden Homes wish to regain their reputation in the Cotswolds, they need to rapidly get on top of the situation.’

Gloucestershire County Councillor Nigel Moor said after the meeting:

‘I would like to thank our MP for both chairing the meeting and his support for setting up the liaison committee. I hope that this will persuade the developers that there is both a need for much more co-ordination to complete the building of Victory Fields and that they will attend the meetings of the liaison committee.’

District Councillor Mark MacKenzie-Charrington said following the public meeting:

‘I am delighted the way the meeting has gone this evening. With Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP in the chair we were able to cover 50 questions raised by residents of Upper Rissington village and ‘Victory Fields’ the new housing scheme. It would appear that there is tacit support for the principle of establishing a liaison committee to work with the CDC officers and the joint developers to bring the development to a conclusion delivering the new infrastructure that is for the benefit of all.’