The vision for Cheltenham's Golden Valley Development (GVD) has come into clearer focus with the unveiing of latest details for the second phase of the landmark scheme.

In a showcase of the project for 12,000 jobs and 3,700 homes, Cyber UK hosted an event in Manchester last week where partners Henry Boot Developments (HBD) and Cheltenham Borough Council laid bare their plans for the £1.4bn project, including the launch of the newly named I/O Buildings.

Cyber UK is the government's flagship annual cyber security event, hosted by the National Cyber Security Centre in Manchester. It sees 2,000 leaders and academic institutions come together, with the GVD delegation included HBD, Cheltenham Borough Council and Cheltenham cyber firm Plexal, which is also a key player in the project

.

A GVD spokesperson said: "HBD took the opportunity to reveal the names for its landmark phase one buildings as well as showcasing plans for the second phase of the scheme."

The Innovation centre, with160,000 sq ft of high-quality office space and flexible event facilities, is now set to be the IDEA Innovation Centre, they said.

"At the core of Golden Valley's vision for the future, it is designed to inspire and nurture groundbreaking ideas. The building is part of the first phase of the project, with construction expected to begin on site later this year."

The two I/O buildings (signifying 'input' and 'output' are a key element within the second phase and will provide space for leaders and innovators to work together:

● Input is intended to foster collaboration between education, business and government, focusing on academia, skills and talent.

● Output will meanwhile seek to bring together industry peers to shape the future of technology. The building will create space for quiet focus and provide state-of-the-art facilities for business.

In a keynote address for the event, Cabinet Office Minister Pat McFadden said: "We're already making some big investments, like the billion pounds going into the new state-of-the-art Golden Valley campus near GCHQ's Cheltenham office. That site alone is expected to create 12,000 jobs and be home to hospitality, retail businesses and 3,700 new homes. It's all growth."

Ed Hutchinson, Managing Director of HBD, said it had been important for HDV to be at the gathering and the project was "continuing to build and strengthen networks and connections within the sector."

He added: "Work is due to begin on site later this year so it's great to be able to share new CGIs of the scheme, including the I/O Buildings within phase two, and bring the development to life."

Cllr Rowena Hay, leader at Cheltenham Borough Council said: ''Cyber UK offered us the perfect opportunity to showcase phase two of Golden Valley, including the naming of the buildings which will form an integral part of the development."

With sustainable travel and connectively playing an important role, ROUTER, previously known as the Mobility Hub, will become a next-generation transport hub for the GDV, powered by smart technology to allow effortless, environmentally friendly movement throughout the scheme. The building will also feature integrated retail, leisure and wellbeing facilities for the benefit of both Golden Valley residents and the wider public.

Golden Valley – a brief timeline

Adjacent to GCHQ, the GDV is a flagship £1bn innovation and technology project  now seen as a natural extension to Cheltenham's position as a hotspot for the UK's cyber industry, with the developers pointing out that completion will strengthen the UK's place in the AI, cyber and quantum technology revolution while securing communications, supporting national security and boosting both economic resilience and industry expansion.

Planning consent is being sought for around 1m sq ft of prime commercial space, including a 160,000 sq ft Innovation Centre and some 1,000 residential units of various tenures to boost Cheltenham's housing needs.

As a project, the idea was born in 2017, when Cheltenham Borough Council stepped in to purchase land that might otherwise have been bought by a volume housebuilder. 

Seeing the potential for something more, the diea of a nationally significant tech cluster where people wouldn't just live, but play their part in shaping the future, too shape. Acquiring the land ensured any future development would foster innovation and complement existing activity at GCHQ.

The council's quest for a partner came in 2022, when HBD, part of Henry Boot was appointed, planners being drawn to the firm's decades of experience in delivering complex, impactful regeneration schemes. Since then, HBD has showcased Golden Valley on the global stage, positioning it as the home of UK cyber.

In autumn 2023, a planning application for the wider scheme was submitted, with detailed proposals for IDEA, the £95m Innovation Centre to follow in 2024.

Ultimately, GVD signifies a unique opportunity to build a high-performing tech cluster adjacent to GCHQ, leverage Cheltenham's established skills base and attract talent, investment and innovation. It looks set to be a place where academia, government, global industry and start-ups collaborate - supported by specialist environments traditional offices can't match.

A spokesperson added: "Golden Valley will create thousands of jobs, new homes and green spaces, alongside community amenities including sports facilities, a new school, dining venues, event spaces and more. It's also a platform for learning, with skills hubs and new apprenticeship programmes ensuring local people benefit from long-term opportunities."