The stone road bridge over the River Coln at Fairford, beside a Cotswold stone cottage in sunshine.

The Local Plan consultation closes at 11.59pm on 3 November 2026. 32 days left. Respond now

Fairford is facing plans for more than 1,300 new homes

This could fundamentally change the scale and character of our town. We help residents understand what is proposed, make their voices heard, and push for growth that is properly planned and supported.

Respond now What’s happening

Watch: how to respond to the Local Plan consultation A short video walkthrough. Opens in a new tab.

1,300+

new homes proposed for Fairford

The emerging Cotswold District Local Plan proposes more than 1,300 new homes in Fairford, including a major development of more than 1,100 homes north-east of the town. Fairford has around 1,800 households today. See the figures and where they come from.

Growth needs infrastructure

New homes bring new residents, families, cars and demand for local services. Before development on this scale proceeds, there should be clear answers to some basic questions.

Roads and traffic

Can Fairford’s road network accommodate the additional journeys?

Public transport

Can realistic alternatives to driving be provided and sustained?

Schools

Is there enough primary and secondary school capacity?

Healthcare

Can local GP and healthcare services support a substantially larger population?

Water and sewage

Can the existing network and treatment infrastructure cope, and when will necessary upgrades be delivered?

Funding

Who will pay for the infrastructure required, and is that funding actually committed?

Fairford itself

How can the historic character, landscape and sense of community that make Fairford special be protected as the town grows?

Cumulative development

Have the combined effects of all the schemes proposed around the town been assessed together?

Five jobs, one aim

Make sure Fairford’s future is shaped thoughtfully, with the right evidence and the right infrastructure in place.

Raising awareness

Many residents are still unaware of the scale of the changes being proposed. We make the information accessible, understandable and easy to act upon.

Dilly’s Bridge, a footbridge over the River Coln at Fairford, on a winter afternoon.

Independent expertise

We are raising funds to commission independent specialists, particularly transport and planning experts, to scrutinise the evidence behind the proposals.

The disused water tower at Fairford, standing above the rooftops.

Helping residents be heard

Clear guidance on how to participate in the Local Plan process and make meaningful, effective representations.

The tree-lined drive leading to Farmor’s School in Fairford.

Bringing people together

Fairford is full of people with relevant experience: planning, transport, law, environment, communications and more. We bring that expertise together.

A duckling on the water of the upper Thames near Fairford.

Keeping people posted

The Local Plan runs for years, not weeks. We publish short, dated updates so residents know what has changed and what happens next.

The Market Place in Fairford, with the old timber-framed post office on the corner.

Fairford needs your voice

Join us

Get updates on the Local Plan, consultation deadlines and opportunities to help.

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Donate

Fund the independent planning, transport and infrastructure advice that gives Fairford a credible, evidenced case.

Support Fairford

Offer your expertise

Planning, highways, water, law, environment, communications, or simply time and energy. We would love to hear from you.

Volunteer

Fairford High Street: a terrace of Cotswold stone buildings with flags flying above the shopfronts.

Latest Updates

22 September 2026

Consultation extended to 3 November

Cotswold District Council has extended the Regulation 19 consultation by four weeks. It now closes at 11.59pm on 3 November 2026, rather than 5 October.

The Council has given the reason as the late publication of the responses to the earlier Regulation 18 consultation, which it had committed to release when this consultation opened in August. Those responses have now been published, along with three further evidence documents, and the extension is intended to give people time to read them.

The extra four weeks are worth using. If you have not yet responded, there is now more time to do it properly.

How to respond

All updates