A housebuilder hoping to construct 185 homes off Hempsted Lane has helped a nearby school fund a new outdoor classroom.

Bellway has submitted plans to develop land at Hill Farm Into a development called Hawthorn Park and is awaiting a decision by Gloucester City Council.

In the meantime the Newcastle upon Tyne firm has stepped in to help Hempsted C of E Primary School in St Swithuns Road.

Friends of the Gloucester school had been fundraising hard to finance a new outdoor classroom but were short of the overall £10,000 target. Bellway stepped in with the final £500 required for the build.

The timber building was completed in late March and can seat up to 30 children. It will mainly be used as a classroom and quiet area for children who have trouble coping with the hustle and bustle of a busy playground break.

School headteacher Richard Waller said: "We are grateful to Bellway for their donation of £500 which allowed us to reach the target funding needed to finance the building of the shelter.

"Our PTA, The Friends of Hempsted School, can now focus their future fundraising on furnishing the space, perhaps with cushions and storage for books.

"We are very much looking forward to making full use of this excellent new facility which will enrich the lives of children in the school."

Simon Hughes, development manager at Bellway, said: "When the school got in touch and told us about their plans for a new outdoor shelter we were more than happy to help out.

"At Bellway it is part of our ethos to support the communities in which we build new homes and making this contribution to the local school, which is less than half a mile from our forthcoming development at Hawthorn Park, is testament to that commitment."

Plans to develop land at Hill Farm in Hempsted Lane were originally granted permission in October 2023 after Gladman Developments won its appeal against Gloucester City Council.

Property developers, Bellway, announced it had bought the land in November and submitted detailed plans to build 185 homes on the site in December 2023. The determination deadline was March 6 but amendments were submitted to the council in April following discussions with the developer.

It wants to create a development of two, three, four and five-bed houses and one and two-bed flats, of which 37 will be affordable homes.

Infrastructure payments of more than £1.9million would be made under the terms of the Community Infrastructure Levy and Section 106 agreements linked to the outline planning application. These payments include money for sports provision, roads, education and library services.

Bellway is also building new homes at three developments in Gloucestershire - Sandalwood Green in Hempsted, Millbrook Grove in Brockworth and Bellway at Pirton Fields in Churchdown.

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