Plans for a £7.45million plan to widen a Gloucester road have taken a major step forward with the purchase of land needed for the scheme.

Gloucestershire County Council's plan to widen Llanthony Road to two lanes alongside Llanthony Secunda Priory had been on hold until the sale agreement for the City Business Centre.

But Nick Broady, who owns the land and runs Avenue Cars, confirmed the land had been sold and businesses were leaving their premises.

Speaking to Punchline-Gloucester.com's Friday Business Briefing, Mr Broady said: "I have exchanged to give the council vacant possession and tenants are leaving as we speak.

" I think the building is probably 50 per cent empty already and by the end of December, I believe the building will be 90 per cent empty.

"They are talking about demolition by March but who knows? You will see it flattened, I expect, at some point next year and the new bypass going through."

Mr Broady said Avenue Cars was moving to a redeveloped site at Burberry Garage, another of his companies, while he had been forced to close Gloucester Coatings.

"I have had to unfortunately shut, simply because I couldn't find premises big enough and it's not the sort of manufacturing people want in their properties," he said.