How will a £1bn cyber park affect locals?

It's a town known for its spa history, racecourse, regency architecture – and GCHQ.

Cheltenham is now planning to expand its cyber portfolio, with a £95m park that is hoped to turn the town into the UK's cyber security capital.

Experts say the growing cyber security industry, worth about £13bn annually, should be harnessed in a new way that brings start-ups and big companies together.

Councils, planners and central government have agreed to build the 116-acre park next to GCHQ – the government's first line of cyber security defence.

They are investing £1bn to make it happen, and spades could be in the ground as early as October – but what does it mean for locals?

Golden Valley is an umbrella term for the multi-faceted development, which will neighbour the Springbank and Fiddler's Green communities.

It comprises 3,700 new homes – including 1,000 eco-homes to rent or buy – a new primary school and green spaces.

Places to eat and drink, sports facilities and community spaces for events are also proposed.

The cyber park itself is to be a centre for learning, with spaces that can be rented by businesses, schools and universities for education and training.

The principal building, called the National Cyber Innovation Centre, is the element that is hoped will establish the town as the UK's cyber capital.

The site is expected to create 12,000 jobs. Construction work will take place in phases, with the sign-off for the first stage expected this summer.

The first phase of construction is the cyber park itself, which includes 1 million sq ft (93,000 sq metres) of commercial space, a car park and bus stops for services to Cheltenham Spa railway station.

Work could begin by October if Cheltenham Borough Council approves two key applications, which include feedback from public consultations, this summer.

The teams behind the Golden Valley project hope it will be completed in 10 to 15 years.

Adjustments have already been made locally in recent years to make room for growth.

Cheltenham's surrounding roads have changed, with extra lanes added to the Arle Court Roundabout junctions, increasing the capacity at M5 junction 11. There are also plans for adding an M5 junction.

A £9.2m building called the Minster Exchange was opened last year to provide workspace for cyber and tech industries in the town centre.

In Gloucester, 10 miles away, a large development named The Forum is being built, in the hopes of attracting cyber firms and bringing up to 1,500 jobs to the city.

The University of Gloucestershire, meanwhile, has expanded its offering for students with a new £5.8m cyber and digital centre.

The first phase of Golden Valley is being worked on by property developer HBD and tech campus developer Factory.

HBD is also funding digital workshops in local primary schools, and is working with the university, Gloucestershire College and the University of Bristol to help develop students' skills.

Ed Hutchinson, managing director of HBD, said the development would help make cyber and artificial intelligence more secure as "the world moves at a faster pace than ever before".

"Golden Valley will be a place where leaders working in academia, government, big industry and start-ups can share knowledge and ideas, working in specialist environments that traditional offices simply cannot provide," he said.

"With the UK's ambitions to be a global leader in these areas, we believe that by clustering these specialist sectors at scale, in a county that is renowned for its rich ecosystem and talent pool, we can unlock growth and break down silos within the national technology ecosystem."

He said a building contractor for the development was expected to be appointed in the coming months.

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