Nearly 150 homes agreed for Cheltenham car park

The new estate will feature a mixture of homes and apartments

Plans to build nearly 150 homes on a Cheltenham car park have been given the go-ahead.

Wavensmere Homes Limited wants to build the 147-home estate, made up of houses and apartment blocks, on the North Place car park near the town centre.

Cheltenham Borough Council's planning committee unanimously approved the £55m development on Thursday, despite objections from a conservation society.

Councillor Paul Baker, who brought the application to the committee, said it is "going to provide housing in a sustainable location for Cheltenham people".

Decades ago the site was a coach and bus station, and has recently seen other bids to develop the car park such as a Morrisons supermarket and a multi-storey car park.

The site is currently being used as a surface-level car park, but Wavensmere Homes, in collaboration with BBS Capital, previously said it wants to develop this "long-unloved eyesore".

The proposal includes 29 affordable homes, a four-storey apartment block, a public open space and improved connectivity between the town centre and Pittville Park.

Speaking in the council meeting on Thursday, Mr Baker said there are no "cogent reasons for turning this down".

The decision on the development was made on Thursday evening

The site is currently being used as a car park

"We know if we turn it down on an almost NIMBYish design ground and that goes to appeal, the fact we haven't got a five-year land supply will absolutely trump any argument," he said.

"Let's welcome the development. It's going to provide housing in a sustainable location for Cheltenham people. It's not a brilliant scheme, it could be better, but as a scheme it is one we can support."

Andrew Booton, chair of the Cheltenham Civic Society, said the society supports the redevelopment of the site for housing.

However he was critical of the design of the scheme and said it "is far below the standard a town like Cheltenham is entitled to expect".

Speaking in the council meeting, he said: "This scheme is designed for the convenience and profit of the developer, not for Cheltenham's conservation area, not the residents and not for Cheltenham's long-term success of the town."

James Dickens, managing director of Wavensmere Homes, said: "This development marks a significant step forward for the community. It addresses past concerns.

"It enhances the local environment, and provides much needed housing while supporting broader social and environmental goals."