It's taken almost a decade but the blueprint for future housing developments in Gloucestershire has finally been signed off.

Cheltenham Borough Council has become the last local authority to unanimously support the Joint Core Strategy following earlier support from Gloucester City Council and Tewkesbury Borough Council.

Cllr Steve Jordan, leader of Cheltenham Borough Council (pictured right), said: "Adopting the JCS has been a long and difficult process but I'm pleased we've got there.

"It means we are well placed to ensure we get the homes and jobs local people need up to 2031 while protecting the things that make Cheltenham an attractive place to Iive, work and visit."

If there are no legal challenges the Joint Core Strategy will provide some 32,000 new homes in the county between now and 2031.

Included are 1,000 homes in in Innsworth; 1,500 in Brockwoth and 4,000 north of Cheltenham,

Councillors have had to walk a difficult tightrope balancing the desperate need for new homes with claims that they are destroying vast areas of the countryside in the county.

Speaking on BBC Radio Gloucestershire today the leader of Gloucester City Council Cllr Paul James said: "What you have now is greater certainty. Developers of those strategic allocations within the plan will be happier to bring those sites forward and make the major financial commitment that that involves."

For more details of the Joint Core Strategy visit gct-jcs.org 

Picture credit: Pixabay