Cheltenham and Tewkesbury planners have faced sharp criticism for approving a large-scale housing development near the M5 without securing funding for local police services. Gloucestershire’s Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Chris Nelson has expressed frustration over the failure to allocate financial support for a new police station within the planned Elms Park community.
Last week, planning committees from both Cheltenham and Tewkesbury borough councils gave outline approval for the Elms Park development—a £multi-million project spanning more than 620 acres north of Tewkesbury Road near Uckington. The proposal includes over 4,115 homes, alongside amenities such as a hotel, doctor’s surgery, sports hub, community centre, schools, and a business park.
Despite the scale of the development, PCC Nelson highlighted a significant oversight: the omission of dedicated funding for policing infrastructure. He had urged the planners to delay their decision in order to properly assess and secure approximately £1.5 million needed for a new police station and necessary equipment to ensure effective law enforcement in the area.
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“The planning officers seem to care more about providing for the needs of bats than for the police,” Nelson stated, emphasizing the disconnect between environmental considerations and community safety needs.
The developers, Bloor Homes and Persimmon Homes, intend for Elms Park to transform former greenbelt land into a vibrant new town situated near Junction 10 of the M5. While the development promises comprehensive facilities for residents, it currently lacks allocated resources for police presence.
Council leaders from Cheltenham and Tewkesbury responded by saying that police input had been given careful consideration. They maintained that the police request did not satisfy the statutory criteria necessary for funding under Section 106 agreements, which are designed to ensure new developments are accompanied by appropriate infrastructure.
The Elms Park project has been under consideration for over ten years, with extensive public consultations eliciting more than 180 comments and 30 formal responses. Yet, the Police and Crime Commissioner argues that despite the long lead time, engagement from planning officers regarding policing needs was insufficient once the application was officially submitted in 2022.
According to Nelson, the National Planning Policy Framework urges local authorities to collaborate proactively with emergency service providers to ensure adequate infrastructure is in place. The absence of police funding could lead to diminished services, potentially resulting in increased crime and anti-social behavior for future residents of Elms Park and neighboring communities.
In their joint statement, Cheltenham’s Rowena Hay and Tewkesbury’s Richard Stanley stressed that while the police would benefit from rising council tax revenue estimated at £1 million annually from the development, the PCC had not submitted sufficient evidence to justify additional funding requests. They noted that further policing facilities could be funded through the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), but any such bids must demonstrate clear and legally supported needs.
The ongoing debate highlights the challenges local authorities face when balancing environmental priorities, community growth, and essential public services in large new developments like Elms Park.