An application for 250 homes in Cheltenham was deferred by the council's planning committee yesterday (December 14).

Council officers initially recommend that the committee gives plans for the development by Vistry Homes Ltd at Oakley Farm the go-ahead.

But concerns were raised by officers about the gradient of the site.

Officers told the committee that the maximum gradient allowed is 1 in 20, with the exception of gradients of 1 in 12 for no more than 30 metres.

There are sections of the planned site of between 1 in 12 and 1 in 20, where the permissible 30 metres is exceeded.

Nathan Drover, highway development manager of Gloucestershire County Council, said: "We were concerned about the gradient of the site and whether any developer would be able to make it acceptable for wheelchair users.

"We'd accepted that lengths of 1 in 12 didn't exceed 30 metres, but in our opinion it doesn't technically comply with the condition.

"We've been working with Vistry to see whether they've done everything reasonably practicable to achieve the gradients and whether they can be modified to meet the exact wording of the condition."

The council had received a submission from the developer that day giving two options for improving the gradient. These were to either raise ground levels at the bottom (northern) end of the site or cut deeper into the upper slopes at the southern end.

Officers hadn't had time to consider the options ahead of the meeting, so the committee voted to defer the application.

Another planning application due to be discussed by the committee, for 18 flats at 456 High Street, was withdrawn before the meeting.