Hundreds of homes planned for scheme near GCHQ

More than 360 homes could be built near GCHQ in Cheltenham’s Golden Valley.

The scheme is Cheltenham Borough Council's flagship project and will also include retail units, food and drink venues, a healthcare centre and a transport hub.

Under the proposals, 165 one-bed apartments, 165 two-bed flats, 15 two-bed homes and 20 three-bed houses will be built.

GCHQ bosses say the project will lead to a sea-change in national-security relations between government, academia and industry and will be "key for the spy community’s science and technology transformation effort".

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the outline plans submitted to the council aim to provide flexible commercial use sites, along with a healthcare centre and community hub plus the hundreds of homes on the southern parcel of land off Fiddlers Green Lane.

It is hoped the scheme will cement the spa town as the "UK capital for cyber" while providing thousands of new homes and jobs.

The hope is it will attract businesses with a focus on science and technology in particular, building on the existing specialist cluster in cyber and the emerging AI, Deep Tech and Future Computing/Quantum sectors.

The plans said: “Main Street will promote public transport as a genuine option for future employees within the broader development.

“Moreover, it will enable sensible trip dispersion through the site and ensure that commercial traffic movement will not need to run through the residential environments being pursued on the adjacent site."

Residents can view and comment on the proposals on Cheltenham Borough Council’s online planning portal.

Planners are expected to consider the scheme by 30 October.

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