Stroud District Council (SDC) said it has blocked a "damaging" Investment Zone proposal for the district.

It said Gloucestershire County Council (GCC) has tried to "force through" a bid to accelerate development in Berkeley.

It argued relaxing of planning rules at Gloucestershire Science & Technology Park would allow developers to "ride roughshod" over environmental protections and local communities.

It has been told by The Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities that any bid for the local area without the consent of Stroud District Council will fail.

GCC launched its bid on Friday for two Investment Zones in the county- one with four sites at the Golden Valley Development, Elms Park, Tewkesbury Garden Town and Gloucestershire Airport. The other was proposed for the 65-hectare site in Berkley which sits around a former nuclear power station.

Plans for Investment Zones were announced by former Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng as part of his mini-budget in September. The scheme is aimed at driving growth and unlocking housing by lowering taxes and liberalising planning frameworks.

Benefits would include 100 per cent relief from Business Rates and Stamp Duty Land Tax relief for land or buildings bought for the use or development for commercial purposes, and for purchases of land or buildings for residential developers. They would also get prioritised infrastructure funding.

SDC- led by an alliance of Green, Independent and Liberal Democrat councillors - argued the slackening of planning protections in Berkeley would bring too many risks and pushing through "economic growth at any cost" was not the way to boost development.

It said its concerns were ignored by GCC and the bid put forward anyway.

Responding to the claims the bid has been blocked a spokesperson for GCC said: "The bid to government has gone in. Government will consider this in due course, but it has been submitted."

Cllr Ken Tucker, leader of SDC Liberal Democrat Group, said the Secretary of State, Simon Clarke, has assured them its support as the Local Planning Authority was "critical" to the bids success and without it the plans would not be able to progress.

He added: "We were shocked and appalled that Mark Hawthorne, leader of Gloucestershire County Council, chose to ignore the wishes of elected leaders in Stroud District, as well as in Cheltenham, in an attempt to circumvent the rules.

"It looked like a last, desperate attempt to prop up a failing Prime Minister at the expense of our precious environment and local democracy, and we are all delighted that we have succeeded in blocking it."

Cllr Catherine Braun, leader of Stroud District Council, also believes the bid will fail

She said: "We are very pleased to get confirmation that the Investment Zone proposal has been scuppered, despite the Conservative County Council trying to force it through.

"We said 'no' to the Investment Zone proposal, as it would mean loss of local control over the planning process, with developers being able to ride roughshod over important environmental protections and the views of our local communities.

"With nature in the UK under huge pressure, this is not the moment to tear up vital legal protection. Earlier this year, the independent environment watchdog said that even existing laws are failing to slow the damage to land, air and water in our country.

"We stand with the National Trust and conservation organisations like the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trusts in condemning the attack on nature, which is part of the Truss Government's plan for Investment Zones. It is also shocking to see that the legal requirement to achieve net zero by 2050 has been completely overlooked in this policy."

Cllr Doina Cornell, leader of the Community Independents Group, said it was worried Investment Zones equalled "economic growth at any cost" and would not be required to provide affordable housing or fund key infrastructure.

She said the way the entire Investment Zone policy was being managed was concerning.

"There has been no consultation with the local community, and as District Leaders we were given only 24 hours to consider an outline expression of interest.

"A high-speed bidding process, with quick announcement of 'winners' to boost a rapidly collapsing Tory Government, is no way to distribute public finances or to advance economic development."

Cllr Natalie Bennett, SDC deputy leader, said the council remained committed to developing the Berkeley area but an Investment Zone would have an adverse impact on valued local businesses.

"The experience of previous Enterprise Zones is that they are mainly taken up by large-scale, footloose businesses who benefit from the tax incentives, and then move on. This is not the vision we have for our local economy."

Launching the bid on Friday Mark Hawthorne, leader of Gloucestershire County Council, said: "We have an ambitious vision for our county: we want a Gloucestershire with a thriving and dynamic local economy that attracts the best and brightest minds from across the county.

"That is why we have today submitted an EOI for two Gloucestershire Investment Zones, focussing on driving investment in innovative and sustainable green technologies.

"With a track record of investing in our county, I am confident that Government will agree to progress our bid."

Cheltenham Borough Council has also said no to supporting an Investment Zone  and said the dilution of planning rules would "lower sandards of placemaking".

The four sites in the Central Gloucestershire City Region Investment Zone bid are:

- Golden Valley Development - creating 2,424 new homes and 45 hectares of mixed-use employment

- Elms Park - creating, 6,373 new homes and a 10-hectare business park

- Tewkesbury Garden Town - 10,195 new homes and 100 hectares of mixed-use employment

- Gloucestershire Airport and Surrounds - 550 to 650 new homes and 21 hectares of employment