After plans were approved last June for an innovative new business centre design using shipping containers, there has been a dramatic re-think.

Headed up by businessman Bruce Gregory at WorkShop Cheltenham, the project will see a new creative space built adjacent to Chester Walk in Cheltenham which will become home to offices, a performance arena, community and education spaces as well as a café and restaurant.

It was also planned for the site to house the latest Gloucestershire Growth Hub business support centre - supported by Gloucestershire Local Enterprise Partnership and aimed at helping drive the county's economic success.

The scheme aimed to fill what it saw as a need - flexible and affordable office space for start-ups and small businesses in the creative sectors. As well as providing a large community and event space in the town centre.

Designed by Cheltenham-headquartered architects Edge Design Workshop, the 'WorkShop' project was granted permission back in June 2019 to use recycled shipping containers in its design.

Use of the shipping containers has now been deemed unfeasible.

Revised plans state that after reviewing construction methods of the approved project, it was found that bespoke modular units would be a more appropriate option.

The design and access statement said: "The demands of modern working require more flexible, open plan spaces that containers are simply unable able to provide due to their 2.4m standardised widths and 12m elongated profiles.

"By utilising two modular unit configurations of 3m x 6m x 3.5m and 3m x 9m x 3.5m this can substantially improve the internal configuration and rationalisation of space.

"Secondly, we have been advised that less single trip containers are entering the country meaning, if we were to pursue the use of shipping containers, we would essentially be fabricating them in the UK only to dismantle them on site at a later date."

The revised layout has a slightly reduced footprint from the original scheme, but the new modular design meant the building would sit slightly taller (1.8m) within its surroundings.

It also confirmed that the GFirstLEP Growth Hub and new Cheltenham Festivals HQ would be situated on the ground floor.