Fury in Cotswolds at giant multi-storey car park plan for 607 cars

Residents of the Cotswolds are furious after plans to build a 607-space car park on the edge of the area were approved.

Robert Hitchins Ltd had wanted to build a 609-space car park at the Cotswolds Designer Outlet, which opened off junction nine of the A46 near Tewkesbury last month. Tewkesbury Borough councillors said it was "enormous" and went "too far", and ultimately rejected the plans. However, separate plans put forward by the same company for a car park at Natton House, Ashchurch, were approved during a meeting on Tuesday.

The rejected plans were for a 51ft (15.5 metre) tall, five-storey car park on land north of Tirle Brook. Council officer Sarah Smith said it would "undermine the attractive... buildings already in place".

She added: "The number of storeys provided in this application and the impact it would have on the character and appearance of the retail outlet village itself is considered unacceptable in design terms."

Councillor Matt Dimond-Brown (G, Tewkesbury South) agreed with his colleagues. He said: "This is of such a scale, that you would almost, if you were a cynic, suggest it has been put forward to then make us favour the other application rather than this one. But of course, we can't say that publicly, oh I just have!"

He added: "This is designed in such a way I don't think any of us could quite reasonably accept it because of its size and scale. It just does not fit into this particular area," reports Gloucestershire Live.

Councillor Mel Gore agreed, saying: "I do feel this is going too far. It's enormous and it doesn't fit within the landscape."

Councillors voted unanimously to reject these plans, but the second application from Robert Hitchins Ltd for a car park in Ashchurch at Natton House was approved.

Existing buildings will have to be demolished to create a surface-level and single-storey decked car park with 607 spaces.

Robert Hitchins developed the 76-store Cotswolds Designer Outlet on the outskirts of Tewkesbury with Multi-Realm, a Cheshire-based manager of retail and leisure destinations.

In response to the article, one person complained: "Nobody seems to be able to explain how this out of town retail development on a greenfield site gained planning consent in the first place.

"This type of development is often referred to as 'parasite developments' as they suck money and life out of nearby town and city centres but contribute very little to the local economy."