A COHESIVE plan for developing large swathes of countryside on the outskirts of Cirencester has been abandoned by Cotswold District Council, it has emerged.

The Kingshill Masterplan was to be a blueprint for substantial new development to the west of the town and has involved 18 months of public consultation.

Over 250 homes alone are planned on land sandwiched between London Road and Burford Road, while residential and business development is also proposed south of North Home Road, with new shops, affordable housing, sewage systems and public transport links.

But CDC planning officers say the now redundant masterplan cannot be finished in time to process planning applications submitted in 2006.

To continue would be 'putting the cart before the horse' they said.

District councillor Peter Hedges raised concerns at a meeting of Cirencester Town Council this week.

"This is an unfortunate and regrettable decision that has been slipped through without anyone saying anything," he said.

"It's somewhat ironic, given the importance of future planning issues, CDC has been unable to find the resources to complete the masterplan. It's an issue of understaffing and lack of resources."

Cllr Shirley Alexander echoed the concerns and said: "I'm very disappointed we haven't got the plan done in time because it seems to me that's fundamental.

"The Kingshill development will be the largest in the Cotswolds within the life of the Local Plan so it was very important every issue attached to it was considered."

However CDC forward planning manager Chris Vickery blamed onerous planning regulations for the decision but he said views gathered through consultation had been taken on board.

"The role of the masterplan was to guide development in very broad terms. The idea was to put flesh on the bone of the Local Plan," he said.

"We have not abandoned people's views and it has not been a waste of time, but what's the point in producing a Masterplan after the applications have been determined - it's like putting the cart before the horse.

"We feel confident we have made the right decision. We have worked very closely with the people and a lot of what's in the planning applications has come about as a result of the consultation process."