Outline plans have been submitted to Tewkesbury Borough Council for a huge development on the outskirts of the town.

North Ashchurch Consortium, made up of Mansfield Partners LLP, Bellway Homes, Bromford Developments Ltd and Homes England, has applied for outline planning permission for 2,800 new homes on land between Northway, Ashchurch and Aston on Carrant.

The plans are a significant milestone for the ambitious Tewkesbury Garden Communities scheme.

In February 2024, a document Tewkesbury Garden Communities: Our charter for promoting good growth, was endorsed by Tewkesbury Borough Council. Through the development of this document, Tewkesbury Garden Town project evolved to become a vision focused on the development of six interconnected Garden Communities, rather than a single larger Garden Town.

The North Ashchurch area relates to three of the six proposed Garden Communities. In addition to up to 2,800 homes, it proposes two local centres including community, employment, commercial, retail, leisure, health facilities and public open space; two primary schools; a secondary school; sports pitches; community gardens; a new pedestrian bridge over the railway; new accesses from Hardwick Bank Road, B4079 and A46; and a new spine road (Central Street) connecting the A46 to the east with Hardwick Bank Road to the west.

The 196.88-hectare site is largely made up of flat fields used for grazing at Aston Fields Farm and Upper Oaks Farm.

There are a small number of existing buildings on the site, which include residential properties and agricultural complexes north and south of Aston Fields Lane. Some of these will be demolished as part of the plans.

The Design and Access Statement to support the planning application gives this vision for the land north of Ashchurch (North Aschurch Garden Communities or NACG): "North Ashchurch will be a series of vibrant, green and well-connected garden communities, promoting health, wellbeing and happiness.

"Beautifully crafted, everyone will feel the power of nature with a new country park, green spaces, new homes, schools, workspaces and the facilities people need - from health to spaces for leisure, arts and culture."

The 2,800 homes will be set within two distinct communities, each with its own local centre. The two communities will be connected by the new Central Street which runs through the development.

The two centres - one in the western community and one in the eastern community - will each have a primary school, food and drink options, healthcare facilities, mobility hub and other community services, making them accessible to both North Ashchurch residents and people from nearby areas.

The Western Community will be a larger, higher density settlement inspired by the larger centres of Tewkesbury and Winchcombe, which will be more urban in its layout.

The Eastern Community will be a smaller lower, density settlement inspired by the smaller villages in the area, including Snowshill, Stanton, Bredon and Kemerton, with a less formal layout and more of a village feel.

The Design and Access Statement said: "NAGC will provide large areas of green space for various activities, promoting an active lifestyle through leisure, play and health. These areas will support a diverse ecosystem to encourage wildlife into the built realm and public open spaces to increase biodiversity and connect people with nature."

There are two watercourses which cross the land - Carrant Brook to the north and a tributary of Tirle Brook to the south east.

The NGAC site includes 168 individual trees, 58 groups of trees, 168 hedgerows and three woodlands. Of these, 15 trees are classed as high quality and 113 classed as moderate quality. The aim of NGAC is to retain all trees.

The Design and Access Statement said: "Every tree contributes to the environment and ecology, no matter its condition."

The neighbour consultation period is now open. The plans will go before Tewkesbury Borough Council Planning Committee on an unconfirmed date.