Major plans to build up to 2,550 homes on the outskirts of Gloucester have been met with "dread and fear" by residents and a firm objection by city bosses.

Gloucester City Council has said the outline proposals by Taylor Wimpey UK Ltd for more than 320 acres of land at Whaddon are "premature".

The developer wants to build a new estate with a primary and secondary school, a community centre, 150 space transport hub, open spaces and watercourse enhancement to Daniels Brook.

It would include infrastructure, parking and supporting infrastructure and utilities, three new access points from the A4173 and one from Naas Lane.

The application was submitted to Stroud District Council on December 5 and has received dozens of responses from residents who are concerned about the impact on the area.

On Tuesday (March 5) city bosses considered their response.

Cllr Lorraine Campbell (C, Tuffley), who has lived in Tuffley for 55 years, spoke from the public gallery and said she is totally opposed to the development.

She said her fellow ward councillor Cllr Paula Dee (C, Tuffley) has been fighting the development since 2009.

"I'm speaking for every resident I know in Tuffley who dreads and fears this development," she said.

"This is the burning issue everyone is concerned about. Locally, this is the one on everyone's lips and with very good reason."

The impact on infrastructure in Tuffley and the increase in traffic is the major concern, which would be created on an already congested road system."

She said there were also grave concerns over the loss of tranquility around the historic churches and increased flood risk in an area where homes were damaged in 2007 by floodwaters "pouring off Whaddon fields".

"No changes to St Barnabas would ever make this plan acceptable or viable. It is completely unsound and I'm glad the city's response acknowledges all these issues and challenges and I really hope it will continue to object and I hope Stroud will protect Tuffley by totally rejecting it."

Cllr Steve Morgan (C, Grange) said he was not totally opposed to the idea of developing the land but he and his residents had concerns about the strain on services.

"If there's going to be further development to the south of Gloucester we need to put pressure to achieve doctors' surgeries, dental surgeries, as well as education and green open spaces," he said.

"Clearly, highway impact is the major obvious problem."

Councillors at the planning committee meeting agreed to object to Stroud District Council about the plans.

The letter from Gloucester City Council said: "The main issue for the City Council remains the potential impact this proposed Whaddon development has on the highway network within the area around the site, particularly St Barnabas roundabout, and the wider highways network, particularly in the south of Gloucester including J12 of the M5."

It also said while the site is part of land identified to meet the future housing needs of Gloucester City, other work needed to be done before any agreement to develop the site could be given.

Cheltenham, Gloucester and Tewkesbury councils agreed in the summer to work on a joint Strategic and Local Plan (SLP)  and is holding a public consultation to gather public opinion until March 12.

The letter added: "At this early stage in plan-making, whilst it is possible to identify that Gloucester City has a shortfall of sites to provide its housing need, it is not possible to confirm what the overall spatial strategy for the SLP will be, nor to confirm whether or not the Whaddon site is a preferred location for part of Gloucester's housing need to be met."

It also said the issues raised by development of the site would be better understood once the Stroud District Local Plan Review (SDLPR) was complete.

Last month government inspectors agreed to pause examination of the SDLPR  to allow concerns regarding the strategic and local highway network to be addressed by Stroud District Council.

Gloucester City's letter added: "Until this work is complete, and the Local Plan adopted, Gloucester City Council believe this planning application is premature."

A statement submitted buy Black Box Planning on behalf of Taylor Wimpey as part of the Whaddon planning application said the application is" in no way premature."

It said it was "common practice" for plans of this type to be submitted alongside local plan examinations to assist the process.

Secondly it said the Joint Core Strategy (JCS) was adopted with a "substantial shortfall" in sites to meet the housing needs of Gloucester City and the application was responding to this unmet need, as well as the future needs of the wider Stroud and Gloucester housing market.

Stroud District Council has a target decision date of March 26 for the planning application.