Stroud-based green energy company Ecotricity has today unveiled new concept designs for a proposed state-of-the-art sports and green technology centre.

At a business breakfast attended by more than 100 businesses, Ecotricity founder Dale Vince presented the latest plans in the company's well-documented bid to build an Eco Park near Stonehouse.

The plans, described as a 'Gateway to Stroud' proposal, comprised a new dual-carriageway on the A419, concept designs for Eco Park's Green Technology Hub, the new Forest Green Rovers football stadium, and a Zaha Hadid-designed footbridge linking the two main sides of the development.

The centre-piece was a new 3-D model of the entire 100-acre Eco Park proposal, and a digital animation of what motorist will experience when drive down the A419 from Junction 13 of the M5.

Ecotricity has recently applied for planning permission for the development, which Ecotricty says will provide a missing link for businesses in the Stroud District and beyond.

Mr Vince said: "For us, Eco Park would be important to businesses in the wider region, not just in the Stroud District.

"Other than our friends at Bristol and Bath Science Park, there really isn't anywhere like this in our region.

"We've had a lot of interest from businesses about our plans, so this event is about getting out there and telling people more about how Eco Park could work for them.

"We're still a few years away even if we gain planning permission this summer, but by informing people about Eco Park now, businesses in the region can take that into account when they're planning for the future."

He added: "With Eco Park we hope to push the boundaries of sustainable development, create 4,000 jobs in the green economy, a world-class football stadium and make more room for nature with a big biodiversity boost, as well as creating a new 'Gateway to Stroud'."

An opponent of the Eco Park, geologist Mark Campbell, who lives in Eastington, close to the proposed site, today hit back at suggestions that it would improve habitats.

He also claimed it would increase traffic congestion.

Interviewed by Mark Cummings on BBC Radio Gloucestershire, Mr Campbell said: "We've got a lovely green field, it's full of hedgerows, it's full of wildlife already.

"There's restoration of all sorts of things going on already, so of course you can take that and you badge something as an eco park, or badge it as wildlife reserve - well, it's got all those things anyway.

"You could enhance, with a few pounds, all those good values anyway without compromising it by sticking a vast great industrial complex on top of it.

"Just by putting something good on something bad doesn't make the whole project necessarily good."

He added: "There are huge fundamental problems, if anyone cares to delve into the work that's going on at planning, about transport.

"It will almost undoubtedly log-jam junction 13, which will cut off the arterial link to Stroud. The planners, both county and district, are fully aware of that and it a huge problem which no one has come up with a solution for.

"Highways won't allow something to go ahead that's going to log-jam and cause back-ups on the motorway, which we're virtually getting already."

What do you think? Email mark@moosemarketingandpr.co.uk 

Readers' comments:

Mike Lawrence: Traffic lights at a crossroads on the entrance? A sure-fire way to generate massive traffic queues and severely hinder the A419 and most probably the M5 slip roads.

Stroud is not likely to benefit by having its easy access to the motorway network cut off.

As for the 'green credentials', what absolute nonsense. I could not even grace that with a reply.

A green field needs no help from a debenture. It's very happy on it own. If they are that keen on the project, perhaps build it as part of the new proposed bridge over the Severn.

Or would that be technically difficult and so too expensive?