Dozens of homes approved despite dust worries

Plans for 70 homes have been approved for a town - despite council concerns about dust.

During summer, residents near the Folley, Swindon Village, in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, claimed dust from a nearby building site had settled on their homes and gardens.

The same developer - E G Carter and Co Ltd - has now been granted permission to build 70 new affordable homes for the council on land off Shelley Road at the former Monkscroft School site.

Councillor Richard Pineger said problems such as dust at the Folley site should be taken into account.

E G Carter and Co has been approached by the BBC and the Local Democracy Reporting Service for comment.

He added: "The former Monkscroft school site is surrounded by very dense family housing and a dementia care home, so I think it's quite important.

"Construction is expected to take 110 weeks so we really need this construction management plan to be robust and enforceable."

Councillors approved unanimously a revised plan on 15 October to develop the 4.4-acre site off Shelley Road, which includes 24 one-bedroom flats, 24 two-bed houses, 19 three-bed properties, a couple of four-bed homes and a single five-bed house.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), Pinege asked for a condition to install wind barriers if noticeable dust residues were found in the surrounding areas.

A planning officer said the council had sought changes to the construction plan and it would be up to environmental health to decide the changes.

"They are fully aware of the situation and so they do want the construction plan for this site to be more robust," she said.

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