The proposals include up to 150 new homes (including affordable housing) and public open space.
As part of designing a high-quality development we are seeking to capture the vision, values and ideas of the community.
We want to provide local residents an opportunity to provide feedback before working up final plans which will be submitted as part of an outline planning application to Cotswolds District Council later in the process.
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We will update this website on a regular basis as our proposals and our planning application for the site progresses. The website contains information on the proposals, plans and external links to useful sites that we hope you will find informative. Submit your feedback using the 'Have your Say' form, or by using any of the other feedback options detailed on this website. |
Cotswold District Council is producing an update to its Local Plan which aims to deliver up to 1,000 homes per year, double the previous requirement of around 500 homes.
A Local Plan guides decisions on future development proposals and addresses the needs and opportunities of the area. Local Plans usually cover items such as housing, employment and retail, and they also identify where development should take place, along with areas where development should be restricted.
Currently Cotswold District Council does not have a 5-year housing land supply.
This means that not enough land has been identified and approved for new housing to meet government targets over the next five years. To count towards the 5‑year supply, sites must be “deliverable” within five years, i.e. with planning permission granted or local‑plan allocation, with realistic delivery prospects.
Around 80% of the district is within the Cotswold National Landscape, where development is heavily restricted making it difficult to allocate sufficient sites within deliverable areas.
There are currently approximately 1,650 people on the Council’s housing waiting list, and in the current plan Moreton-in-Marsh identified as one of 17 principal settlements in a sustainable location suitable for accommodating future housing development.
New Homes. Up to 150 homes with a mix of house sizes and types, ranging from 1 to 5 bed houses to meet local policy requirements and identified need.
Affordable Housing. 40% affordable housing (i.e., up to 60 affordable homes).
Affordable housing is a combination of discounted rent, discounted sale (for first time buyers) and shared ownership housing, provided to eligible households whose needs are not met by the market.
This will assist those looking for their first home, and lower income individuals and families to get on the housing ladder in Moreton-in-Marsh.
How people access affordable housing depends on its tenure.
Generally, Local Authorities are responsible for allocating affordable housing for rent. In many instances, they will require that a local connection is demonstrated for someone to be eligible for a home.
In some cases, applicants must have lived in the local area for a minimum of two years and these homes may be offered to applicants who can demonstrate family ties to the local area, or to people who previously lived in the area.
Extensive Public Open Space. A wide range of spaces will be incorporated onsite including:
- Natural green space
- Community allotments
- Children's play area
Walking and Cycling. New cycle hub to promote sustainable transport, reduce car dependency, and enhance active travel.
The proposals will also include a network of routes that link into existing cycle routes and Public Right Of Ways (PRoWs) including a new crossing across Evenlode Road to connect with the existing PRoW to the south of the site, and improvements for pedestrians crossing London Road, near to the junction with Evenlode Road.
As part of the development proposals, journeys by sustainable modes of transport will be enhanced and prioritised through measures set out in the Travel Plan, and we are exploring opportunities to provide improvements for pedestrians from the site to the train station and town centre.
Ecology. Where possible existing hedgerows, trees, watercourses and drainage ditches will be retained and positively integrated with the open space areas. The area of semi-mature woodland within the southeast corner of the site will be protected and retained.
No part of the site is covered by, or lies adjacent to, any statutory or non-statutory wildlife site designation
Woldford Woods is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and lies within 2km, and is accessible to the public only via privately managed events and camping. It is considered that there will be no significant impact on the designated features of the SSSI.
The site is dominated by a single large arable field with areas of bare earth. Field margins are primarily composed of ruderal species. In the north-western corner, an area of scrub and tall ruderal habitat is present, dominated by bramble and bracken. The field is enclosed by a network of native hedgerows.
A pond is located in the northwest of the site, which regularly dries out, and a second pond is situated just outside the site boundary to the south. Although no significant impacts on great crested newts are anticipated, there is a very low likelihood they may use the site during their terrestrial phase.
A single tree on-site has some suitability for roosting bats, the tree will be retained within the development where possible.
Opportunities for enhancement of habitats within the site are presented through the creation of new areas of wildflower grassland and native landscaping, which will also contribute to delivering a minimum 10% net gain in biodiversity.
Landscape Impact & Design. The 7.5 hectares (18.5 acres) site is located in the southeastern edge of Moreton-in-Marsh. Neighbouring land uses include a highways depot and water treatment works.
Located 380m east of the Cotswolds National Landscape at its closest point, the views are currently unaffected by existing development. The proposed development will not cause significant harm to the integrity or quality of the Special Landscape Area, and mitigation measures will be implemented where possible to reduce the impact.
The emerging landscape strategy for the site offers the opportunity to set built form into the existing mature landscape framework, providing substantial long term recreational and biodiversity benefits to the area while mitigating any landscape and visual effects.
Reduced Energy Consumption Design. New and existing homes account for 20% of greenhouse gas emissions in the UK.
The development will be designed to achieve a 100% reduction in regulated carbon emissions to meet a regulated energy net zero standard.
To achieve this the homes and buildings will feature enhanced insulation standards, heat pump heating and hot water systems and photovoltaic panels throughout.
Flooding And Drainage. The proposed scheme is located within an area categorised as Flood Zone 1 (low risk of flooding from rivers and sea).
It is proposed that the surface water drainage strategy will mirror existing offsite discharge rates to ensure that the proposed development will not increase flood risk to downstream receptors post-development.
The proposal will use Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) to capture, treat and attenuate surface water runoff from the site before discharging into local ditches. Further, SuDS features will be designed to provide significant water quality and amenity benefits within the site as well as serving as a drainage function.
The planning application will be accompanied by a Flood Risk Assessment (FRA) and Sustainable Drainage Statement (SDS) which will assess the site with respect to all types of flood risk and will propose solutions for managing surface runoff and foul water.
Archaeology And Heritage. The site does not contain, nor does it form any part of, any designated heritage assets.
The closest such asset is the Grade II listed Wellington Inn (now residential), which is located c. 600m to the north of the Site. Therefore, the proposed development of the site does not present a potential for the significance of Wellington Inn to be harmed.
There is no evidence or indication that the site contains archaeological remains of anything more than local interest or significance.
Archaeology desk-based assessments and geophysical survey suggests there are some localised archaeological remains most likely of prehistoric farming activity and settlement, however these potential remains are likely to be poorly preserved due to modern agricultural activity.
Archaeological work is ongoing and the findings will be reported in the final application pack submission.
Air Quality. An air quality assessment considering relevant air quality legislation, policy and guidance will be undertaken and will be submitted in support of the planning application.
The site is not located within or near an Air Quality Management Area and the impact of additional traffic from the development on air quality will be negligible.
Mitigation measures will be implemented during the construction phase to minimise any temporary impacts on local air quality which may potentially arise due to the generation of dust and particulate matter.
Noise. A noise impact assessment will be undertaken to assess the suitability of the site for residential use. Noise sources include the Gloucestershire Highways Depot (north-west of the Proposed Development), sewage treatment works to the north-east and Cotswold Business Village beyond.
Based on initial assessment it is unlikely noise from the local road network or industrial sources will have a significant impact on the proposed development.
Mitigation measures will be utilised to control noise impacts on the new homes including double glazing (with suitable trickle ventilation), appropriate facade construction, stand-off distances and boundary mitigation.
Highways And Access. Access will be afforded to the development from Evenlode Road and will be designed to relevant local and national design standards and provision will specifically be made for cyclists and pedestrians to facilitate ease of movement for users.
Evenlode Road adjoins to the wider highway network through its connection with the A44. Access to public bus services are afforded from bus stops on the A44, which are a 600m walk from the site and provide access to services from Chipping Norton, Cheltenham and Bourton-on-the-Water.
A shared use footpath will connect the development to the existing walking network to ensure the development promotes sustainable options.
A Transport Assessment (TA) will be submitted with the planning application, this will detail the development proposals, site accessibility, forecast trip generation and will assess the operation of the highway network in both safety and capacity terms both with and without the development (in agreement with Gloucestershire Highways).
This is an opportunity for you to have your say:
Your feedback will help shape our proposals before we submit our planning application. Comments received may be compiled in a Statement of Community Involvement which will be submitted with our planning application.
Any comments you make in response to these proposals will not affect your right to comment on the planning application submitted to the Local Authority in due course.
Please let us have your feedback by no later than Sunday 21st September 2025.
The site is located in the southeastern edge of Moreton-in-Marsh. It comprises of 7.5 hectares (18.5 acres) of flat, low lying agricultural land. Neighbouring land uses include a highways depot and water treatment works.
It is connected to the local highway network via Evenlode Road, which adjoins to the wider highway network through its connection with the A44.
In terms of sustainable transport options, the proposed development site is situated approximately 1.4km to central Moreton-in-Marsh which offers a wide range of services and 1.5km to Moreton-in-Marsh Train Station. Moreton-In-Marsh Town Centre provides a wide range of services which can be used by potential residents on a daily basis and is accessible by foot. Moreton-in-Marsh train station provides frequent and reliable access to London, Malvern and Worcester and is approximately a 15-to-20-minute walk from the proposed development site.
Located 380m east of the Cotswolds National Landscape at its closest point, the views are currently unaffected by existing development. The proposed development will not cause significant harm to the integrity or quality of the Special Landscape Area, and mitigation measures will be implemented where possible to reduce the impact.
Planning ApplicationWe will be submitting an outline planning application with all matters reserved (excluding access). Outline planning applications seek to establish whether the scale and nature of a proposed development would be acceptable to the Local Planning Authority, before a fully detailed proposal is put forward. Where outline permission has been granted, and within three years of the outline approval, an application for the outstanding reserved matters can be submitted, i.e. the information excluded from the initial outline planning application. This will typically include information about the layout, scale and appearance of the development. Statutory consultees (eg. Environment Agency, Highways England, Natural England and Parish Councils) and local residents will also have the opportunity to formally comment on the applications once they are submitted and registered with the Local Authority. |
The economic benefits of new housing development are significant. A study by the Confederation of British Industries (CBI) demonstrates that construction projects have a significant benefit on the local and wider economy. The report concludes that for every £1 of construction expenditure, £2.84 is injected into the economy.
The proposed development of new homes offers the opportunity to stimulate economic growth (supporting existing local businesses, services and groups), create jobs, assist in meeting local housing need and add to the Local Authority’s revenue, as a result of an increase in Council Tax revenue stream and the New Homes Bonus.
Head Office: Orchard House, Papple Close,
Houlton, Rugby, CV23 1EW
South East Office: The Grosvenor,
Basing View, Basingstoke, RG21 4HG
Keep up to date with all the latest information from Catesby Estates and our strategic land promotion work.
