Countdown to exciting moment
WE all want a prosperous future for our family and friends. People want good quality jobs, comfortable homes and a clean environment, too.
That’s exactly why the borough council has been working so hard on the Golden Valley and Cyber Central plan at West Cheltenham.
We are at a crucial stage of the project. We are assessing the bids from developer partners and expect to make an announcement in May.
When that happens, more detail about the proposal will become public. It is a hugely exciting moment to look forward to.
West Cheltenham is the council’s biggest-ever investment, and the partner we choose will help us bring that to life. The site will provide a garden village built to carbon neutral standards, with room for a huge expansion in cyber security jobs – building on our town’s growing reputation as a centre of cyber excellence and the work of GCHQ.
The project is of huge local, regional and national significance. This is shown by the significant interest already from the Government, which is supporting this council-led initiative.
In addition to Government investment, the council has invested money at a time when the risks to commercial investment are high. That builds on so much work we have done over many years to get the project this far.
And that means putting the right rules in place to make sure the development delivers what our town needs. In July this year, the council approved a Supplementary Planning Document for the ‘Golden Valley Garden Community’. This document is crucial because it helps ensure that the highest environmental and sustainability standards are enshrined in the new development.
The garden community status awarded by the Government is being backed by transport upgrades worth hundreds of millions of pounds.
That’s not just road improvements, but better public transport and cycling and walking links, too.
There’s a long way to go, but I’m determined that together we can deliver a development that will leave a lasting legacy for our town and prosperity for future generations.