Detailed plans for a 465-home estate between Churchdown and Gloucester are close to being completed.

The site at Pirton Fields to the south of Churchdown and west of the B4063 Cheltenham Road East was given outline planning permission by Tewkesbury Borough Council in December 2018.

Since then, housebuilder Bellway has finalised a deal to buy the land and is now drawing up plans for the detailed planning application to be submitted to the council.

The deal completed by Bellway's Wales division is the biggest site acquisition undertaken by the firm.

According to the firm "The blueprint will comprise two, three and four-bedroom houses and one-bedroom apartments, including 102 affordable homes for local people and key workers.

"The local housebuilder will also make significant financial contributions to the local community totalling more than £6 million as part of the planning agreement for the site."

Billie Oaten, Sales Director for Bellway Wales, said: "We're really pleased to have finalised the acquisition of land for our new development in Churchdown.

"It's particularly exciting for us as a division as it's the largest land purchase we have ever made and reflects the growth of the business over the last few years.

"We are now looking forward to progressing our plans for new homes on the site, which will provide much-needed new housing for the local area.

"We have a strong track record of delivering new homes in Gloucestershire and are planning a mix of homes which will cater for all sections of the community.

"We will be working closely with the local authority to ensure that our proposals meet the needs of local people and hope our detailed plans are approved so we can move forward with construction."

The Churchdown site was earmarked for development by the Joint Core Strategy - the collaborative agreement between Gloucester City, Cheltenham Borough and Tewkesbury Borough Councils.

The JCS included what is called the South Churchdown Urban Extension which includes the land at Pirton Fields to the west of Cheltenham Road East and also land to the east and south of the A40.

A further 85 homes have been earmarked for the parcel of land between the B4063 and A40 Golden Valley bypass.

A further parcel of land to the south east of the Golden Valley has also been allocated for development.

That would see 320 homes built and a new park and ride site for Gloucester constructed, along with an extension to the existing Elmbridge Court Business Park.