Today marks a pivotal moment for the future of the Elms Park housing development—a £2.5 billion project poised to create 4,115 new homes near the M5 off the A4019 Tewkesbury Road, close to Uckington. The Tewkesbury and Cheltenham planning committees will decide whether to approve what some are calling a “juggernaut” housing scheme destined to become a massive dormitory town satellite of Cheltenham.
Led by the Elms Park Consortium, featuring prominent housebuilders Bloor Homes and Permission, the development promises 35% affordable housing and the creation of approximately 4,000 jobs, including 30 apprenticeships per year during construction. A modern 10-hectare business park will also be established, alongside projected economic benefits of up to £300 million in gross value added annually to the local economy.
However, the scheme faces significant opposition. Seven nearby villages and a total of 111 residents have submitted objections, citing concerns over traffic congestion, increased pollution, overstretched healthcare and public services, and the impact on local infrastructure. Only four letters of support have been received. Parish councils from Uckington, Swindon, Elmstone Hardwicke, Stoke Orchard, Treddington, Bishop’s Cleeve, Leigh and Leckhampton, and Warden Hill have all voiced objections.
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Additional worries include the design and appearance of the housing, road safety, parking, flooding risks, overlooking, and the scheme’s apparent conflict with existing planning policies. Gloucestershire Constabulary has expressed serious concerns about the lack of funding for a new £1.5 million police station vital to service the development.
While the site lies outside the green belt and is allocated for development under the joint Gloucester, Cheltenham, and Tewkesbury planning strategy, critics argue the development has been progressing with limited public engagement since 2016. The Cheltenham Civic Society highlights the sheer scale and complexity of the application—with over 400 documents and a 125-page officers’ report—makes meaningful public scrutiny difficult, fueling mistrust.
Andrew Booton, Chair of Cheltenham Civic Society, said, “This application is a planning juggernaut. Its size and complexity deter public involvement and foster skepticism. The government’s focus on housing quantity over quality only exacerbates concerns.”
Booton added that the development risks turning Cheltenham into a dormitory town overly reliant on edge-of-town retail and car travel focused around the M5 corridor, rather than integrating with the town itself. The scheme’s minimal response to evolving climate change policies and lack of clear benefits for Cheltenham’s character and vitality further fuel opposition.
“The development will spark more than 20,000 extra vehicle movements daily,” Booton warned, “threatening the green belt designed to separate Cheltenham from Gloucester, undermining the town’s centre and character. It feels like a juggernaut no one can halt.”
In contrast, the Elms Park Consortium emphasizes the project’s diverse and attractive housing mix, including over 1,000 affordable homes aimed at local residents. The development will feature two new primary schools, a secondary school, assisted living accommodation, a six-GP health centre, local shops, a community centre, and more than 100 hectares of publicly accessible open space.
Sustainability is central to the proposal, with homes built to 2025 Future Homes Standards to be zero-carbon ready, the use of air source heat pumps and photovoltaic panels instead of gas, electric vehicle charging points, secure cycle parking, and sustainable drainage systems. The project also aims to improve local wildlife habitats and corridors.
A consortium spokesperson stated, “Elms Park will deliver much-needed housing and community facilities and contribute significantly to economic growth while meeting stringent environmental standards. We urge planning committees to approve the application.”
Council officers recommend approval, and the final decisions by the two planning committees will be made today, setting the stage for Tewkesbury and Cheltenham’s housing landscape for years to come.