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January 9, 2014


Fears of threat to green belt in blueprint


THE blueprint for future development of Gloucestershire is fundamentally unsound and could herald a possible de- velopment free for all, leading to build- ing in greenfields before the re-use of brownfield sites, according to The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE)’s Gloucestershire branch. CPRE Gloucestershire submitted its


full response to Gloucestershire’s pro- posed Joint Core Strategy (JCR) steer- ing committee, made up of councillors from Gloucester city, Cheltenham and Tewkesbury, before the consultation closed at the end of December. CPRE Gloucestershire supports the broad objectives of the strategy to focus development close to existing areas of population and jobs and recognises that rural areas can accommodate smaller pockets of development. But it says the strategy contains no


development phasing policies, proposes an unrealistically high level of both em- ployment growth and residential devel- opment, adding well over 20 per cent to the total stock of dwellings in the next 18 years, would result in the greatest proportionate loss of green belt land anywhere in the country, has no targets for affordable new homes and no viable programme to support the provision of essential infrastructure and services. Richard Lloyd,vice-chair of Glouces- tershire CPRE, said: “Just stating a hy- pothetical and uncertain figure for new housing and jobs does not provide a de- liverable or viable Joint Core Strategy.” CPRE Gloucestershire’s summary


and its response to the JCS consultation is available atwww.cpreglos.org.uk


Zombies at large


A BOOK describing a post-apocalyptic Dursley overrun by zombies has been written by a local writer. Dead in Dursley recounts the story of


a group of hard-pressed survivors try- ing to stay alive in a world overrun by the undead, mostly set in the usually sleepy town. It is the brainchild of 23-year-old Giles McHugh, who lives in Wotton-under- Edge High Street and works at Sains- bury’s supermarket in Dursley. Mr McHugh said he spent a lot of his childhood coming up with stories and drawing comics from his vivid imagina- tion. “I have always been a fan of horror


novels and the walking dead,” he said. “I wanted to write about something


I know about and if it’s in the area I know, it’s easier to visualise as I write.” The keen writer published his first


book online a year ago and there are now several in the Infected Britain se- ries, with the band of survivors getting involved in adventures in many areas which will be well-known to local resi- dents. The keen writer’s work has earned


him a small fanbase, and he has even re- cruited a few friends to help him create trailers for his stories, which are avail- able on Youtube. “It has been brilliant and has got bet-


ter as the year has gone on,” he added. “It’s been building steadily for a while


now. It’s a passion for me so getting the sales is a secondary objective.” The Infected Britain series, as well as


Mr McHugh’s other works, are avail- able on Amazon.


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