Campaigners fighting off 140-homes plan for Laurie Lee's Cider With Rosie valley

But the Save The Slad Valley action group believes developer Gladman will appeal against the decision

Laurie Lee, author of 'Cider with Rosie' (1959) (Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Campaigners fighting to save a picturesque valley made famous by author Laurie Lee are celebrating after councillors rejected a planning application to build 140 homes.

The Slad Valley, near Stroud in Gloucestershire, was made famous by Lee's book Cider With Rosie.

A couple of years before he died in 1997, he successfully fought similar plans to expand urban Stroud up the Slad Valley.

Members of Stroud District Council's planning committee unanimously rejected the application after officers recommended its refusal.

But the Save The Slad Valley action group, which has been fighting the plans, believes developer Gladman will appeal against the decision.

A spokesman for the group said: "The planning committee meeting unanimously voted to refuse planning permission, which is a great result and should be the end of it - but it probably won't be.

"We fully expect Gladman to appeal and this will mean the planning inspector will need to review it.

"Whatever reasons for appeal Gladman put forward, we will continue to fight to save these fields and our valley."