Britain’s £2.5BILLION newest town next to major motorway is unveiled in blueprint for 4,000 homes, new shops & hotel

BRITAIN’S newest town will be built next to a major motorway and is set to cost £2.5bn with restaurants, shops and sports facilities.

The Elms Park development, located in the north of Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, was approved by local authorities yesterday.

Councils have given the go-ahead to the massive new town serving almost 9,000 people.

It will be situated on the outskirts of the Cotswolds, just off junction 10 of the M5, and will feature roughly 60 acres for employment land.

Tewkesbury Borough Council described the approval of the 4,115 homes as the “biggest decision” it had ever made.

And Cheltenham Borough Council also gave the development the green light, despite heavy opposition to the scheme from seven neighbouring villages.

The new town is set to take more than 20 years to be developed, with work expected to be completed in phases.

The plans include a 25-acre business park, a hotel, shops, cafes, new schools, healthcare facilities and a transport hub.

Proposals also include state-of-the-art sporting facilities, including an all-weather 3G pitch on site.

Elms Park Consortium, led by house builders Bloor Homes and Persimmon, claims that the project will create as many as 8,000 jobs in the area.

It estimates that the development will provide 1,000 affordable homes while generating up to £300m for the local economy each year.

The patch of land is outside the green belt and has been allocated for development in Gloucester, Cheltenham and Tewkesbury’s joint planning strategy.

Calling on councillors to approve the scheme, Rob White, agent for the applicant, said: “Approximately £25m will be spent on community infrastructure.

“It will contribute £300 million a year into the sub-regional economy, creating and supporting over 8,000 new jobs, with 30 apprenticeships a year during construction over 20 years.

“Over 4000 new homes will be built, providing for a new community of around 9,000 residents, many of whom will already be living in the area.

“Approximately £50 million pounds will be spent on providing new schools, including a secondary school and two primary schools on site.

“A sports hub containing new facilities for cricket, football, tennis, and an all-weather 3G pitch will be provided on site along with significant contributions to local rugby and hockey clubs.

“They are committed to bringing forward Elms Park as a well-designed, sustainable and healthy place where the new community can thrive.”

But locals are concerned that it will bring larger numbers of traffic and overwhelm public services in the area.

Cheltenham Civic Society raised concerns over the design of the development.

They highlighted potential risks with road safety, parking, flooding and pollution.

Also among the opposition is Gloucestershire police and crime commissioner Chris Nelson, who called for the plans to be postponed due to a lack of agreed funding for a new police station.

He added that the constabulary was considering legal action over the issue.

The councils released a joint statement on their websites confirming the decision yesterday.

Cllr Mike Collins, of Cheltenham Borough Council, and Cllr Sarah Hands, of Tewkesbury Borough Council, said: “Elms Park is one of the largest schemes Tewkesbury Borough and Cheltenham Borough Councils have ever considered.

“It has been a long time in the making, having been included as a strategic allocation in the Gloucester, Cheltenham and Tewkesbury Joint Core Strategy.

We’re pleased that following careful consideration, the detail of this JCS allocation has been approved at both planning committees today after both detailed and thorough debate.

“Over the next 20 years, the project will provide over 4,000 much-needed new and affordable homes, community facilities and commercial floorspace.

“It will bring substantial economic benefits in the future whilst also being sensitive to its surroundings, including protecting and enhancing significant areas of valuable green space and biodiversity.”