Cheltenham's Cavendish House 'could be part of new square'

A community group is calling for an historic town centre building to become a vibrant hub with Regency features.

Cavendish House in Cheltenham, which was home to House of Fraser until April, first opened in 1823.

Site owners, Canada Life, are exploring options with Cheltenham Borough Council to redevelop the building.

Cheltenham Civic Society has proposed creating "Cavendish Square", which would link the Promenade with Regent Street.

It says each of the new square's four sides would be dominated by a handsome building.

The society, which works to preserve the architecture of the spa town, says all the neighbouring Grade II-listed buildings would be retained, and enhanced.

The Everyman Theatre, with Matcham's Edwardian façade, would be the main feature of the south-east side. Facing it, in the Prom on the far side of the square, would be the Regency terrace including the Waterstones bookshop.

On the north-east side would be the former County Court building, alongside a new four or five-storey development of shops with offices above.

Proposed plans also include a new civic building to become home for the council on the south-west side, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

"The council should lead a public debate about what could be done," Civic Society chairman Andrew Booton said."They should up their ambition and insist on an outcome that's driven as much by the public interest as by private profit.

"Of course, the site will need to be commercially viable, but it also needs to be exciting and do justice to its central location.

"We hope our initial ideas will provide some inspiration for Canada Life to come forward with something even better," Mr Booton added.

Follow BBC Gloucestershire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.