Housing estate of 85 homes may be totally for social housing

» A PLANNED new estate on the edge of Cheltenham could be totally for social housing.

The borough council has received a planning application from Bromford Developments Ltd to build 85 houses on countryside off Old Gloucester Road. The site is 800m from Aldi in Tewkesbury Road and is close to Pilgrove Way that leads into the Springbank estate.

If allowed, it could form the first phase of a 1,100-home development in the area, with the second phase earmarked for county council-owned land to the north east of the site and the third phase on the borough council’s Arle Nurseries site.

Outline planning permission for up to 90 homes on the land was granted by the council in 2017. Bromford’s latest application seeks to obtain detailed planning permission.

A report in the application said: “As a registered provider of social housing, the applicant’s knowledge of the affordable housing market is unparalleled and they have a strong track record of delivering such sites.

“Their product of dwelling sizes and types, as submitted, will ensure that a financially sound scheme for 100 per cent social housing can be delivered.

“This development will not only benefit the local area through the delivery of much needed social housing stock, but the residents of Cheltenham as a whole.”

The plans show that the new estate would contain 49.4 per cent houses for “social rent” and 50.6 per cent shared ownership.

The developer intends to go far beyond the council’s requirement for 40 per cent of the new houses to be affordable.

It said it had contacted the council’s housing strategy and enabling officer, who had said it would be acceptable.

The council hopes to determine the application, which can be accessed at bit.ly/3heoiak, by July 17.