There are serious concerns over the impact a new 2,000-home town would have on an ancient Gloucestershire village church.

Forest of Dean District Council is in the process of drawing up their new blueprint for housebuilding in the area over the next 20 years.

The Government wants the council to find land for over 13,000 homes to be built during that time.

And one of their ways of meeting the target could be by potentially creating a new settlement near Gloucester off the A40 in Churcham.

Concerns have been raised over the impact such a scheme would have on commuter traffic at the nearby pinchpoint of Over.

But there are also fears over how such a new development would hurt the setting of the grade II*-listed St Andrew’s Church.

A place of worship was founded on the site well before the Norman conquest of England in 1066.

And the carving of a figure above the north doorway is believed to be of Romano-British origin dating from 300 AD while others believe it to be a 14th century carving of a saint.

In 1048, Wulfin le Rue, a nobleman, killed seven priests on the road from Gloucester to Churcham at what would be known as Sainthill.

To achieve absolution he had to find six priests to intercede for him in perpetuity so he gave Churcham and Highnam to St Peter’s Abbey.

Fran Phillips, churchwarden of St Andrew’s, is among those who are concerned the area’s history is not being taken into account in the council’s plan for housing.

“Up until now we’ve always understood that this was an old and very special church,” she said.

“There are parts of it that go back to the Saxon period, there is Romano-British evidence here as well. It’s a special site.

“We’ve always understood it to be a protected view, particularly from the other roads.

“Its position on the hill overlooks the whole area all the way around.

“And this proposed development doesn’t seem to take that into account.”

She is concerned there is little mention of the church in the local plan.

“There is nothing to say this is a historic, listed church or that it has special significance for the area.

“Churcham was named after the church. The church was here on the hill Churcham. Ham village of the church.

“It’s a vital part of the village and that seems to be going by the board now.”

She went on to say that the beautiful view from the church would be destroyed.

“It will just be a giant housing estate,” she said.

“That’s all we’ll see. Roofs of houses, buildings, a supermarket maybe, an industrial estate… the view will be gone.”

A public consultation on the draft local plan ended on March 18 and it is now expected to be debated by councillors before a final version is submitted for examination by a planning inspector in the autumn.