Bristol-based house builder Countryside Partnerships Ltd has applied for planning permission to build 71 homes on the site of a former aerospace factory in Cheltenham.

The Douglas Equipment site in Village Road in Arle, Cheltenham has been earmarked for the project and if approved, various warehouses and an office building will be demolished to make way for the new homes.

Branded as 'affordable housing', planning documents submitted to Cheltenham Borough Council suggest the development will be a mix of one, two, three and four bedroom homes.

Founded in 1947, the Douglas factory in the town manufactered tractor units for towing aircraft at airports across the world.

In 2015, Textron acquired Douglas Equipment under their Textron Specialized Vehicles business unit and moved its operations to the US.

Before the Cheltenham sites closure in 2020 and subsequent sale in January 2021, the site is thought to have employed more than 120 workers.

Commenting on the application, borough councillor Peter Jeffries said: "There are some concerns raised by residents, traffic being the most pressing. Overall though, they seem to be supportive. It has been on the cards for some time.

"Ever since the family-owned firm was sold, the future of the site has been discussed on and off. It might be better to use it for housing rather than leave the buildings on it to crumble."

A statement from Countryside Partnerships Ltd as part of the application added: "The scheme will deliver a new high-quality extension to the existing community that responds to its setting whilst embracing modern best practice design standards."