Owners of the former transport facility in the Forest of Dean have submitted the plans for the first part of the project.

Last year, Gloucestershire businessmen Dr Roger Head, OBE, and Jim Ruddy announced their purchase of the former Richard Read site and plans for its redevelopment into a business park - fittingly named Longhope Business Park.

Richard Read closed its doors for the final time in 2019, after 73 years of trading with the loss of nearly 50 jobs.

An original application submitted to planners by Bruton Knowles last year focused around the rear of the site, which sits next just outside of Longhope, where there are plans for up to 18 new commercial units.

However, this new application centres on the transformation of the buildings facing the road.

Plans propose the erection of six new units along the A4136 Monmouth Road frontage, and a further four units behind these.

This is alongside alterations and re-cladding of existing frontage buildings that were originally occupied by the transport business, ready for new occupation.

At the time of the original announcement, Dr Head, a well-known member of the county's business community and owner of Highnam Court, said: "As local investors, we saw the potential of the site, and intend to start as soon as possible on what will be a multi-million-pound refurbishment."

The wider development will see the former haulage yard transformed into more than 10,000 square foot of light industrial, general industrial and storage space.

Once complete, the full site could offer 400-plus jobs for the region.

BREAKING NEWS: We wanted to deliver the business community some positive advice to help them through the ongoing Covid19 crisis, but as the situation is ever-changing, and in light of this afternoon's planned briefing from Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak we have decided to hold fire. However, expect one of our now daily breaking news bulletins immediately post their announcements rounding up the salient points. Good luck out there.