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Gloucestershire Business News

140 homes approved for Cheltenham town centre

Approval has been granted for 140 homes on a two-acre site near the centre of Cheltenham.

The saga of whether or not the 325-space car park and former bus depot off Portland Street would ever be redeveloped looks like it will finally be coming to an end.

Final sign-off from central Government has been given for site-owner and Gloucestershire housing developer, MF Freeman, to go ahead and Punchline understands the firm's board meets tomorrow.

Planning permission was first granted in 2013, but after wrangles and delays - which could have seen a Safeways built on the site - the original developer withdrew.

MF Freeman bought the site in 2016 and last year the borough council won £3 million from the Government's Housing Infrastructure Fund towards the project to help make the 'difficult' site economically viable.

But conditions for the development had to be agreed with Homes England before the local authority can give the go ahead for the scheme.

Paul Jones, executive director of finance and assets at the borough council, said: "The council is committed to continue working with MF Freeman to bring forward a 'residential-led' development that meets all the relevant conditions to enable the payments to be released."


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The story of the site actually goes back to 1985 when the Black & White Bus Station closed.

Cheltenham MP Alex Chalk eventually got involved, lobbying for Government approval, and is said to be "delighted" it now looks like there will be movement on the ground.

The brownfield site scheme will, he said, take pressure off developments on the edge of town and the green belt, as well as help Cheltenham develop a town centre fit for the future.

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