Plans that will kick-start construction of the massive 4,115-home Elms Park development have been submitted to the council.

Persimmon Homes wants the nod to create a temporary access road from Manor Road so it can begin building the first phase of the development, known as Swindon Farm.

It would be built close to the Dreams store and the junction of MacKenzie Way and be in place for 12 months to allow construction vehicles to access the site.

Swindon Farm was approved by Cheltenham Borough Council in March  and will see 20 acres of open fields transformed into 266 homes.

The land sits next to Swindon Village and Gallagher Shopping Park and will set the tone for the rest of the Elms Park development. When complete it will be the largest ever swathe of greenbelt land in the UK turned into housing.

It will include a 25-acre office park, 32 acres of land for retail, healthcare and community facilities, a new secondary school and two new primary schools.

Developers have said it would see an estimated £1billion invested into the construction sector and the creation of 5,000 jobs.

Persimmon Homes and Bloor Homes submitted their outline application (16/02000/OUT) for Elms Park in May 2022.

The site falls within the administrative areas of Cheltenham Borough Council and Tewkesbury Borough Council and they are due to determine the application together this year.

In November Gloucestershire County Council agreed to sell off a huge chunk of public land  which forms a large part of the Elms Park site.

The application for thje temporary road at Swindon Farm is 24/00073/FUL and closes for public comments on February 20.

The council is expected to make a decision on the application by March 26.